As CEO challenges go, facing a global threat that is existential not just for your company but for your industry is among the worst possible. American Airlines’ former Chairman and CEO, Doug Parker, has been through this twice while leading an airline, following the 9/11 attacks in New York and the COVID-19 pandemic. In this episode, he speaks with McKinsey Senior Partner Celia Huber about how these experiences helped him become a better leader. 

Doug Parker has served as CEO of three airlines: America West, US Airways, and American Airlines. He currently serves on the board of Qantas. Celia Huber is a McKinsey senior partner in our Bay Area office, where she leads our board services work in North America.

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Better together: Three ways to boost board–CEO collaboration

The State of Aviation 2025 

Geopolitical resilience: The new board imperative

Resilience pulse check: Harnessing collaboration to navigate a volatile world

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As CEO challenges go, facing a global threat that is existential not just for your company but for your industry is among the worst possible. American Airlines&rsquo; former Chairman and CEO, Doug Parker, has been through this twice while leading an airline, following the 9/11 attacks in New York and the COVID-19 pandemic. In this episode, he speaks with McKinsey Senior Partner Celia Huber about how these experiences helped him become a better leader.&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/wdougparker/">Doug Parker</a> has served as CEO of three airlines: America West, US Airways, and American Airlines. He currently serves on the board of Qantas. <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/celia-huber">Celia Huber</a> is a McKinsey senior partner in our Bay Area office, where she leads our board services work in North America.
Related insights
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/better-together-three-ways-to-boost-board-ceo-collaboration">Better together: Three ways to boost board&ndash;CEO collaboration</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/travel/our-insights/the-state-of-aviation">The State of Aviation 2025 </a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/risk-and-resilience/our-insights/geopolitical-resilience-the-new-board-imperative">Geopolitical resilience: The new board imperative</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/risk-and-resilience/our-insights/resilience-pulse-check-harnessing-collaboration-to-navigate-a-volatile-world">Resilience pulse check: Harnessing collaboration to navigate a volatile world</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights">McKinsey Insights on Strategy &amp; Corporate Finance</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/m-and-a/our-insights">McKinsey Insights on M&amp;A</a>
<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-corporate-finance/posts/?feedView=all">McKinsey Strategy &amp; Corporate Finance on LinkedIn</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;