This week, we feature a conversation between Alex Gorsky, former chair and CEO of Johnson & Johnson, and Andy West, senior partner and global coleader of our Strategy and Corporate Finance Practice. 

Alex discusses his approach to developing strategy, the challenges and rewards of developing a successful innovation and M&A pipeline, and his approach to decision-making and building a star team. 

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This week, we feature a conversation between Alex Gorsky, former chair and CEO of Johnson &amp; Johnson, and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/west-andy/">Andy West</a>, senior partner and global coleader of our Strategy and Corporate Finance Practice. Alex discusses his approach to developing strategy, the challenges and rewards of developing a successful innovation and M&amp;A pipeline, and his approach to decision-making and building a star team. 
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<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/m-and-a/our-insights/gen-ai-opportunities-in-m-and-a">Gen AI: Opportunities in M&amp;A</a>
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We talk with McKinsey partners and corporate executives on the challenges they face creating lasting strategies in a fast-changing world. We also examine the different ways these executives approach these challenges and the new and innovative ways they think of creating a vision for their enterprises.

What does it take to survive in a world of constant change? More than ever, enterprises need to create strategies that can meet current needs but also adapt to future demand. A regular series of interviews with McKinsey partners and corporate executives.

Inside the Strategy Room

The world is moving faster, and as upheaval becomes the norm, vast business opportunities will be within the grasp of the extraordinary few.  But it takes bold people and courageous approaches to seize those opportunities and create value.

In each episode of our weekly podcast, we interview the world’s highest-performing CEOs, CFOs, innovators, and McKinsey experts and discuss how they build the courage, clarity, conviction, and cohesion that allow their businesses to win by moving faster than the world around them. 

The world is moving faster, and as upheaval becomes the norm, vast business opportunities will be within the grasp of the extraordinary few. &nbsp;But it takes bold people and courageous approaches to seize those opportunities and create value.
In each episode of our weekly podcast, we interview the world&rsquo;s highest-performing CEOs, CFOs, innovators, and McKinsey experts and discuss how they build the courage, clarity, conviction, and cohesion that allow their businesses to win by moving faster than the world around them.&nbsp;

225. Alex Gorsky, former chair and CEO of Johnson & Johnson

Long-term value creation is foundational to building strong companies and economies, yet many leaders struggle to ensure that well-conceived, well-executed strategies receive full recognition from investors. Senior Partner Ryan Davies and Associate Partner Jacob Marcus join us to discuss how to anticipate investor reactions, assess opportunities to outperform expectations, and embed an investor mindset into decision-making to build greater resilience.

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Long-term value creation is foundational to building strong companies and economies, yet many leaders struggle to ensure that well-conceived, well-executed strategies receive full recognition from investors. Senior Partner&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/ryan-davies">Ryan Davies</a>&nbsp;and Associate Partner Jacob Marcus join us to discuss how to anticipate investor reactions, assess opportunities to outperform expectations, and embed an investor mindset into decision-making to build greater resilience.
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<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/transformation/our-insights/unlocking-full-potential-five-practices-reshaping-pe-value-creation">Unlocking full potential: Five practices reshaping PE value creation</a>
<a href="https://omny.fm/shows/inside-the-strategy-room/306-transforming-value-creation-in-private-equity-portfolio-companies">Transforming value creation in private equity portfolio companies</a>
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<a href="https://omny.fm/shows/inside-the-strategy-room/302-what-every-ceo-can-learn-from-private-equity">What every CEO can learn from private equity</a>
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313. Driving value with an investor mindset

In today’s tougher exit environment, private equity firms are facing longer holding periods, valuation gaps, and increased pressure to return capital. Kai Vollhardt and Jelena Bauer are joined by Christian Habrich and Frederyk Schroeder as they unpack their latest article on how to drive successful exits. They share strategies that top-performing firms use to improve exit outcomes and turn preparation into premium valuations, including how to translate AI potential into a credible value story.

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The coming wave of business transfers (podcast)

What every CEO can learn from private equity (podcast)

 

In today&rsquo;s tougher exit environment, private equity firms are facing longer holding periods, valuation gaps, and&nbsp;increased pressure to return capital. <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/kai-vollhardt?cid=cl4c-cml&amp;amp;sid=%7b%7blead.SFDC%20Id:default=CL4C%7d%7d">Kai Vollhardt</a> and <a href="https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Fjelena-bauer-10266ba0%2F&amp;data=05%7C02%7CClare_Kitada-SYDN%40external.mckinsey.com%7Cf5ac2d1e73d84e1759e408ded85233ed%7Ccc8936bc93824fff87cb6f55999549e7%7C0%7C0%7C639186044766911165%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=f4ATwjPDyvRsK08OxKIKRsYscAf3o55QsNelnJzNo5w%3D&amp;reserved=0">Jelena Bauer</a>&nbsp;are joined by <a href="https://de.linkedin.com/in/christian-habrich-4480a916b">Christian Habrich</a> and <a href="https://dk.linkedin.com/in/frederyk-schr%C3%B6der-6542a19a">Frederyk Schroeder</a> as they unpack their latest <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/private-capital/our-insights/beating-the-odds-how-private-equity-firms-can-improve-exit-prospects">article</a> on how to drive successful exits. They share strategies that top-performing firms use&nbsp;to improve exit outcomes and turn preparation into premium valuations, including how to translate AI potential into a credible value story.
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<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/private-capital/our-insights/global-private-markets-report">Global Private Markets Report 2026</a>
<a href="https://omny.fm/shows/inside-the-strategy-room/293-private-equity-2026-outlook-clearer-view-tougher-terrain">Private equity 2026 outlook: Clearer view, tougher terrain</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/transformation/our-insights/unlocking-full-potential-five-practices-reshaping-pe-value-creation">Unlocking full potential: Five practices reshaping PE value creation</a>
<a href="https://omny.fm/shows/inside-the-strategy-room/306-transforming-value-creation-in-private-equity-portfolio-companies">Transforming value creation in private equity portfolio companies (podcast)</a>
<a href="https://omny.fm/shows/inside-the-strategy-room/304-the-coming-wave-of-business-transfers">The coming wave of business transfers</a> (podcast)
<a href="https://omny.fm/shows/inside-the-strategy-room/302-what-every-ceo-can-learn-from-private-equity">What every CEO can learn from private equity</a> (podcast)
&nbsp;

312. Improving private equity exit prospects

Discover how market leaders—Walmart, Builders FirstSource, Progressive, and JPMorgan Chase—achieved exceptional growth from 2019 to 2024, outperforming peers by an average of five percentage points in revenue and seven points in profitability. In this episode, Simon Jones, David Schiff , and Kate Siegel discuss their new article on the three critical characteristics that drive sustained profitable business growth: committed investment strategies, diversified growth engines, and systematic technology integration.

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Discover how market leaders&mdash;Walmart, Builders FirstSource, Progressive, and JPMorgan Chase&mdash;achieved exceptional growth from 2019 to 2024, outperforming peers by an average of five percentage points in revenue and seven points in profitability. In this episode, <a href="https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Fsimonmichaeljones%2F&amp;data=05%7C02%7CClare_Kitada-SYDN%40external.mckinsey.com%7Cc6583fe677fe410ba85008dec7db170c%7Ccc8936bc93824fff87cb6f55999549e7%7C0%7C0%7C639167940992681479%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=Jqg1NSCA%2Fi89soq1MO23jGepbxHZf6fjqD4HaKNqVkI%3D&amp;reserved=0">Simon Jones</a>, <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/david-schiff?cid=cl4c-cml&amp;sid=%7b%7blead.SFDC%20Id:default=CL4C%7d%7d">David Schiff</a> , and <a href="https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Fkatersiegel%2F&amp;data=05%7C02%7CClare_Kitada-SYDN%40external.mckinsey.com%7Cc6583fe677fe410ba85008dec7db170c%7Ccc8936bc93824fff87cb6f55999549e7%7C0%7C0%7C639167940992712178%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=2hY0H6HJC%2FVVbT4ReUwVn%2BdnFTLlzZQ6hrKFBwm7SiQ%3D&amp;reserved=0">Kate Siegel</a>&nbsp;discuss their new <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/growth-marketing-and-sales/our-insights/inspired-for-business-growth-how-five-companies-beat-the-market?cid=cl4c-cml&amp;sid=%7b%7blead.SFDC%20Id:default=CL4C%7d%7d">article</a>&nbsp;on the three critical characteristics that drive sustained profitable business growth: committed investment strategies, diversified growth engines, and systematic technology integration.
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<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/mgi/our-research/the-race-takes-off-in-the-next-big-arenas-of-competition">The race takes off in the next big arenas of competition</a>
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<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/themes/rewired-2-point-0-how-leading-companies-are-still-winning-with-ai">Rewired 2.0: How leading companies are (still) winning with AI</a>?
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/the-ten-rules-of-growth">The ten rules of growth</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/how-innovative-companies-leverage-tech-to-outperform">How innovative companies leverage tech to outperform</a>

225. Alex Gorsky, former chair and CEO of Johnson & Johnson

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