In this episode, Michèle Flournoy joins Andy West to share her perspectives on how companies can build their geopolitical resilience. Michèle is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of WestExec Advisors, a strategic advisory firm that helps CEOs and investors navigate geopolitical risks and opportunities. She served the US government as Under Secretary of Defense for Policy from February 2009 to 2012 and was the principal advisor to the Secretary of Defense.  In January 2007, Michèle co-founded the Center for a New American Security – a bipartisan think tank dedicated to developing strong, pragmatic, and principled national security policies. She served as its President until 2009, returned as CEO in 2014, and today serves as the Chair. Andy West is a senior partner and the global coleader of our Strategy and Corporate Finance Practice. Comments and opinions expressed by interviewees are their own and do not represent or reflect the opinions, policies, or positions of McKinsey & Company or have its endorsement.

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How American business can prosper in the new geopolitical era.

Insights from McKinsey and Company’s Geopolitics Practice

In this episode, <a href="https://www.westexec.com/michele-flournoy/">Mich&egrave;le Flournoy</a> joins <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/andy-west">Andy West</a> to share her perspectives on how companies can build their geopolitical resilience. Mich&egrave;le is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of <a href="https://www.westexec.com/">WestExec Advisors</a>, a strategic advisory firm that helps CEOs and investors navigate geopolitical risks and opportunities. She served the US government as Under Secretary of Defense for Policy from February 2009 to 2012 and was the principal advisor to the Secretary of Defense. &nbsp;In January 2007, Mich&egrave;le co-founded the Center for a New American Security &ndash; a bipartisan think tank dedicated to developing strong, pragmatic, and principled national security policies. She served as its President until 2009, returned as CEO in 2014, and today serves as the Chair. Andy West is a senior partner and the global coleader of our Strategy and Corporate Finance Practice. Comments and opinions expressed by interviewees are their own and do not represent or reflect the opinions, policies, or positions of McKinsey &amp; Company or have its endorsement.
Related Insights&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/geopolitics/our-insights/tariffs-and-global-trade-the-economic-impact-on-business">Tariffs and global trade: The economic impact on business</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/geopolitics/our-insights/navigating-tariffs-with-a-geopolitical-nerve-center">Navigating tariffs with a geopolitical nerve center</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/geopolitics/our-insights/tariffs-on-the-move-a-guide-for-ceos-for-2025-and-beyond">Tariffs on the move? A guide for CEOs for 2025 and beyond</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/public-sector/our-insights/how-american-business-can-prosper-in-the-new-geopolitical-era">How American business can prosper in the new geopolitical era.</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/geopolitics/our-insights">Insights from McKinsey and Company&rsquo;s Geopolitics Practice</a>

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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;

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