This week, Sandy Boss, Senior Managing Director at global investment firm BlackRock and Chair of BlackRock UK, joins us on the podcast. In a conversation with Michael Birshan, a senior partner and the global coleader of our Strategy & Corporate Finance Practice, Sandy shares her insights on geopolitics and the energy transition as well as her ‘five Cs’ for CFOs looking to take an investor’s perspective. We recorded their conversation at a recent gathering for CFOs in London. 

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Valuation: Measuring and Managing the Value of Companies, 7th edition

This week, Sandy Boss, Senior Managing Director at global investment firm BlackRock and Chair of BlackRock UK, joins us on the podcast. In a conversation with <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/michael-birshan">Michael Birshan</a>, a senior partner and the global coleader of our Strategy &amp; Corporate Finance Practice, Sandy shares her insights on geopolitics and the energy transition as well as her ‘five Cs’ for CFOs looking to take an investor’s perspective. We recorded their conversation at a recent gathering for CFOs in London. 
<hr>
Related Insights  <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/what-your-most-important-investors-need-to-know">What your most important investors need to know</a> <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/valuation-measuring-and-managing-the-value-of-companies">Valuation: Measuring and Managing the Value of Companies, 7th edition</a>

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;

222. Investor perspective: A conversation with BlackRock’s Sandy Boss

A small improvement in pricing can often drive greater value creation than larger cost or volume improvements. However, private equity (PE) funds face unique challenges in identifying and addressing pricing opportunities across diverse portfolio companies, often lacking the dedicated tools and expertise to do so effectively. In this episode, Brian Elliott, Jordan Jakubovitz, and Michelle Nguyen discuss how PE funds can address these challenges and achieve efficient growth.

Brian Elliott is a senior partner in our New Jersey office and co-leads our pricing practice across all sectors. Brandon Heriford is a partner in our Atlanta office, and co-leads our Periscope B2B pricing solution with Brian. Michelle Nguyen is an associate partner in our New York office, and is a leader in our Private Capital Practice, and Dhruv Sriram is a consultant in our Atlanta office and a core member of our software and tech practice.

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A small improvement in pricing can often drive greater value creation than larger cost or volume improvements. However, private equity (PE) funds face unique challenges in identifying and addressing pricing opportunities across diverse portfolio companies, often lacking the dedicated tools and expertise to do so effectively. In this episode, Brian Elliott, Jordan Jakubovitz, and Michelle Nguyen discuss how PE funds can address these challenges and achieve efficient growth.
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/brian-elliott">Brian Elliott</a> is a senior partner in our New Jersey office and co-leads our pricing practice across all sectors. <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandon-heriford-5068b431/">Brandon Heriford</a> is a partner in our Atlanta office, and co-leads our Periscope B2B pricing solution with Brian. <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/michelle-nguyen">Michelle Nguyen</a> is an associate partner in our New York office, and is a leader in our Private Capital Practice, and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/dhruv-sriram/">Dhruv Sriram</a> is a consultant in our Atlanta office and a core member of our software and tech practice.
Related insights
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/private-capital/our-insights/global-private-markets-report">Global Private Markets Report 2025: Braced for shifting weather</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/growth-marketing-and-sales/our-insights/how-to-navigate-pricing-during-disinflationary-times">How to navigate pricing during disinflationary times</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/growth-marketing-and-sales/our-insights/pricing-the-next-frontier-of-value-creation-in-private-equity">Pricing: The next frontier of value creation in private equity</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/themes/is-your-pricing-strategy-cutting-it">Is your pricing strategy cutting it?</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.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-corporate-finance/posts/?feedView=all">McKinsey Strategy &amp; Corporate Finance on LinkedIn</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/private-capital/our-insights">McKinsey Insights on Private Capital</a>
&nbsp;

281. Pricing to create value across the private equity portfolio

Chris Nassetta has served as President and CEO of Hilton since 2007, leading the organization through some extraordinary challenges. Chris’s focus on a sustainable growth model and a brand-led, network-driven strategy has enabled Hilton to cultivate 25 brands and serve more than 250 million travelers annually. In today’s episode, Chris discusses this journey with Eric Kutcher, our North America Chair and Senior Partner, and shares what he’s learned about leadership along the way. Looking ahead, he explains why AI is the greatest gift for Hilton to deliver what customers want, whenever and wherever they want it.

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Chris Nassetta has served as President and CEO of Hilton since 2007, leading the organization through some extraordinary challenges. Chris&rsquo;s focus on a sustainable growth model and a brand-led, network-driven strategy has enabled Hilton to cultivate 25 brands and serve more than 250 million travelers annually. In today&rsquo;s episode, Chris discusses this journey with Eric Kutcher, our North America Chair and Senior Partner, and shares what he&rsquo;s learned about leadership along the way. Looking ahead, he explains why AI is the greatest gift for Hilton to deliver what customers want, whenever and wherever they want it.
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<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/mckinsey-on-books/ceo-for-all-seasons">CEO For All Seasons: Mastering the Cycles of Leadership</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/mckinsey-on-books/ceo-excellence">CEO Excellence: The Six Mindsets That Distinguish the Best Leaders from the Rest</a>
<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/the-strategic-ceo-7236955032997216256/">The Strategic CEO newsletter</a>

280. Hilton President and CEO Chris Nassetta on culture, strategy, and reinvention

What do winning teams in elite sports teach us about driving transformation in business? This week, Kevin Carmody, a senior partner and global coleader of our CFO and finance excellence practice, speaks with former McKinsey partner Jason Wright, who helped lead a transformation as-president of the Washington Commanders (and is also a former NFL running back), and is now Managing Partner & Head of Investments at Ariel Project Level, a private equity fund focused on investing in women's sports.

Jason shares how clear, measurable goals and micro-markers can accelerate culture change; why some symbolic moves matter as much as big P&L levers; and how leaders can balance staying “on the wave tops” with timely “porpoise dives” into the details. He reflects on accountability, the balance between honesty and radical transparency, and what ultimately signaled that a troubled culture at the Washington Commanders was turning the corner. The conversation also explores Jason’s lessons from public crises, and his current role investing at scale in women’s sports.

We recorded Jason and Kevin’s conversation at a gathering of transformation leaders.

Related insights:

Worst to first: What it takes to build or remake a world-class team

McKinsey Transformation on LinkedIn

McKinsey Transformation insights

What do winning teams in elite sports teach us about driving transformation in business? This week, <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/kevin-carmody">Kevin Carmody</a>, a senior partner and global coleader of our CFO and finance excellence practice, speaks with former McKinsey partner <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasongwright">Jason Wright</a>, who helped lead a transformation as-president of the Washington Commanders (and is also a former NFL running back), and is now Managing Partner &amp; Head of Investments at <a href="https://www.arielinvestments.com/article/introducing-project-level/">Ariel Project Level</a>, a private equity fund focused on investing in women's sports.
Jason shares how clear, measurable goals and micro-markers can accelerate culture change; why some symbolic moves matter as much as big P&amp;L levers; and how leaders can balance staying &ldquo;on the wave tops&rdquo; with timely &ldquo;porpoise dives&rdquo; into the details. He reflects on accountability, the balance between honesty and radical transparency, and what ultimately signaled that a troubled culture at the Washington Commanders was turning the corner. The conversation also explores Jason&rsquo;s lessons from public crises, and his current role investing at scale in women&rsquo;s sports.
We recorded Jason and Kevin&rsquo;s conversation at a gathering of transformation leaders.
Related insights:
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/transformation/our-insights/worst-to-first-what-it-takes-to-build-or-remake-a-world-class-team">Worst to first: What it takes to build or remake a world-class team</a>
<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-transformation/">McKinsey Transformation on LinkedIn</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/transformation/our-insights">McKinsey Transformation insights</a>

222. Investor perspective: A conversation with BlackRock’s Sandy Boss

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