Aligning financial and environmental performance is no longer optional—it’s a strategic imperative for long-term success.

Organizations are under mounting pressure to reduce emissions without compromising financial performance. But navigating new regulations, volatile material costs, and global supply chain risk makes balancing cost and carbon incredibly complex.

In this episode of McKinsey Talks Operations, host Christian Johnson speaks with Matthias Ballweg, Co-founder of Circular Republic, along with McKinsey experts Anna-Christina Fredershausen, Associate Partner in Frankfurt, and Johan Bengtsson, Partner in Stockholm. Together, they explore how companies are executing dual mission strategies—lowering costs and carbon simultaneously—while unlocking new opportunities across their value chains.

McKinsey Talks Operations has much more content to offer on the Operations topics that connect strategy with lasting success. Visit www.McKinseyTalksOperations.com to explore events and insights from McKinsey’s Operations Practice, and join the McKinsey Talks Operations community. You can also connect with us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-operations

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Companies across industries are eager to adopt robots that can perform a variety of tasks with human-like flexibility. But achieving general-purpose robotics is no small feat—technical challenges like energy consumption, sim-to-real transfer, and safety concerns slow progress.

In this episode of McKinsey Talks Operations, host Daphne Luchtenberg is joined by McKinsey partner Ani Kelkar to discuss how advances in embodied AI, foundation models, and robotics design are breaking new ground. As robots learn to perceive, decide, and act in real-world environments.

McKinsey Talks Operations has much more content to offer on the Operations topics that connect strategy with lasting success. Visit www.McKinseyTalksOperations.com to explore events and insights from McKinsey’s Operations Practice, and join the McKinsey Talks Operations community. You can also connect with us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-operations

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With workforce shortages mounting and productivity growth stalling, robotics and automation have moved from optional to essential for operational leaders. Yet, many pilot programs stall before reaching meaningful scale—held back by integration hurdles, fragmented systems, and perceived risk. But breakthroughs in AI, digital twins, and adaptable platforms are changing the game.

In this episode, host Daphne Luchtenberg speaks with Ani Kelkar, Partner at McKinsey & Company, Ujjwal Kumar, President of Teradyne Robotics, Marc Theermann, Chief Strategy Officer at Boston Dynamics, and Etienne Lacroix, Founder & CEO of Vention. Together, they explore how companies can overcome barriers and successfully integrate robotics into their operations to drive resilience, flexibility, and growth.

McKinsey Talks Operations has much more content to offer on the Operations topics that connect strategy with lasting success. Visit www.McKinseyTalksOperations.com to explore events and insights from McKinsey’s Operations Practice, and join the McKinsey Talks Operations community. You can also connect with us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-operations

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Companies want to future-proof their supply chains without sacrificing agility or growth. Yet escalating tariffs and policy volatility could force them into reactive cycles, compounded by a lack of visibility in global supply chains and changing consumer preferences.

From inventory tactics to operating model overhauls, our panel of experts explores how to shift from firefighting to foresight—creating systems that withstand shocks and unlock value. In this episode of McKinsey Talks Operations, host Daphne Luchtenberg is joined by McKinsey partners Liz Hempel, Roman Belotserkovskiy, Valerio Dilda, and Riccardo Drentin for a conversation on navigating tariffs, shifting trade policy, and global supply chain complexity.

McKinsey Talks Operations has much more content to offer on the Operations topics that connect strategy with lasting success. Visit www.McKinseyTalksOperations.com to explore events and insights from McKinsey’s Operations Practice, and join the McKinsey Talks Operations community. You can also connect with us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-operations

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As companies race to improve customer responsiveness and satisfaction, many are turning to AI to transform their contact centers into hubs of efficiency and personalization. But despite growing investment, most organizations remain stuck in the pilot phase—hindered by legacy systems, fragmented data, and a lack of cross-functional collaboration. In this episode of McKinsey Talks Operations, Christian Johnson speaks with Malte Kosub, CEO of Parloa, and McKinsey partners Oana Cheta and Brian Blackader to explore how Agentic AI is moving beyond automation to drive real-time decision-making, elevate customer experience, and scale service excellence. Is your contact center ready for the AI-driven future? 

McKinsey Talks Operations has much more content to offer on the Operations topics that connect strategy with lasting success. Visit www.McKinseyTalksOperations.com to explore events and insights from McKinsey’s Operations Practice, and join the McKinsey Talks Operations community. You can also connect with us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-operations

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Many organizations struggle with outdated workforce models, limited AI adoption, and a disconnect between their global capability centers (GCCs) and core business strategies. To overcome these challenges, a global operating model can create capability centers that are an integral part of an organization’ s operations. They function as a microcosm of the company, with leadership, talent, and innovation globally distributed to create a resilient, globally distributed workforce.

In this episode of McKinsey Talks Operations, host Daphne Luchtenberg talks with Indy Banerjee, Senior Partner at McKinsey, and Jack Madrid, President and CEO of the IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) about how organizations can adopt a global operating model approach by upskilling and right-skilling their talent pools, embedding AI, and fostering a culture of continuous innovation. What steps can your organization take to turn its GCC into an engine of innovation?

McKinsey Talks Operations has much more content to offer on the Operations topics that connect strategy with lasting success. Visit www.McKinseyTalksOperations.com to explore events and insights from McKinsey’s Operations Practice, and join the McKinsey Talks Operations community. You can also connect with us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-operations

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Logistics companies are striving to improve safety, efficiency, and sustainability. Traditional methods often lack real-time data and insights to drive meaningful change.

In this episode of McKinsey Talks Operations, Samsara’s CEO and Co-founder, Sanjit Biswas, joins McKinsey’s Renee Jackson to discuss how AI-driven digital solutions are transforming logistics operations, from reducing accidents to optimizing asset utilization.

How can AI help your business unlock new levels of operational excellence?

McKinsey Talks Operations has much more content to offer on the Operations topics that connect strategy with lasting success. Visit www.McKinseyTalksOperations.com to explore events and insights from McKinsey’s Operations Practice, and join the McKinsey Talks Operations community. You can also connect with us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-operations

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Companies are striving for end-to-end visibility, efficiency, and agility in their supply chains. Yet, outdated infrastructure, fragmented data, and supply chain disruptions make these goals difficult to achieve. Can Generative AI bridge the gap? In this episode, host Daphne Luchtenberg speaks with Knut Alicke, Author and Leader of McKinsey's Supply Chain Academy; Alberto Oca, Co-leader of McKinsey's Digital Warehousing Practice in North America; Asaf Somekh, Co-founder of Iguazio, a McKinsey Company, and Sanjit Biswas, CEO and Co-founder of Samsara, to explore how AI-driven innovation is reshaping logistics, forecasting, and real-time decision-making.

McKinsey Talks Operations has much more content to offer on the Operations topics that connect strategy with lasting success. Visit www.McKinseyTalksOperations.com to explore events and insights from McKinsey’s Operations Practice, and join the McKinsey Talks Operations community. You can also connect with us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-operations

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In an era of persistent change, how can companies foster an environment that empowers employees to anticipate, respond to, and even leverage unexpected shifts in the business landscape? In this episode, host Daphne Luchtenberg is joined by McKinsey senior partners Dan Swan and Ruth Heuss, Global Co-Conveners of McKinsey’s Operations Practice, to explore strategies and approaches to technology, workforce planning, and sustainability that will help organizations remain agile and thrive despite uncertainty in 2025 and beyond.

McKinsey Talks Operations has much more content to offer on the Operations topics that connect strategy with lasting success. Visit www.McKinseyTalksOperations.com to explore events and insights from McKinsey’s Operations Practice, and join the McKinsey Talks Operations community. You can also connect with us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-operations

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At the end of 2023, the final podcast of McKinsey Talks Operations concluded that there was no normal for operations leaders. Looking back on the 12 months since then, it seems the sentiment holds true—both everything and nothing has changed. In this episode, hosts Christian Johnson and Daphne Luchtenberg reflect on four recurring themes from their discussions with McKinsey experts and industry guests: building resilient operations ecosystems, decarbonizing operations, winning with talent, and tech-enabling operations with digital and generative AI.

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