McKinsey Talks Operations

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 Yet, outdated infrastructure, fragmented data, and supply chain disruptions make these goals difficult to achieve.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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New opportunities are coming for organizations to use procurement for a competitive edge and a driver for sustainability impact through innovation and strategic partnerships. However, the complexities of global supply chains and rapidly changing market conditions can make it hard to capture the value available.

In this episode of McKinsey Talks Operations, Mauro Erriquez, McKinsey senior partner, and Dominique Lebigot, CPO of LVMH Wines and Spirits, discuss how procurement can drive competitive advantage through innovation and strategic partnerships. They explore challenges such as managing global supply chains and adapting to market shifts, focusing on circular economy practices, and the role of AI. Host Daphne Luchtenberg is also joined by Marc Sommerer, McKinsey partner, to further explore these themes and their impact on procurement. How can procurement teams balance innovation and sustainability with the demands of complex and volatile supply chains?

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Organizations are striving to maintain operational excellence amidst rapid digital transformation, yet integrating advanced technologies while maintaining efficiency and employee engagement is a complex task.

In this episode of McKinsey Talks Operations, Juan Luis Kruger, CEO of Minsur, and McKinsey Partner Ferran Pujol join host Christian Johnson to discuss how digital tools and Lean management principles can enhance operational performance and foster a culture of continuous improvement.

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Companies worldwide are eager to adopt Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies to boost both productivity and sustainability. However, the path to achieving this is fraught with challenges, from outdated legacy systems to the critical need for workforce upskilling. And in some cases, needing to overcome an image problem that makes it hard to recruit and retain the talent required to fill vacant production roles.

In this episode of McKinsey Talks Operations, host Christian Johnson is joined by Enno de Boer, Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company, Kiva Allgood, Head of the Centre for Advanced Manufacturing and Supply Chains at the World Economic Forum, and Jackie Jung, Vice President of Global Operations Strategy and Corporate Sustainability at Western Digital. In this lively discussion they examine how the Global Lighthouse Network is helping companies overcome these barriers and the exceptional results they are enjoying, the evolution of the network, and the secret to driving long-term success with 4IR technologies.

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Enterprises are looking to Global Capability Centers (GCCs) as critical innovation hubs to stay ahead in the competitive landscape, but the difficulty lies in aligning strategic priorities with the capabilities of GCCs to maximize their impact. In this episode of McKinsey Talks Operations, host Daphne Luchtenberg is joined by McKinsey partners Abhilash Sridharan and Malcolm Gomes, Debasis Panda of TransUnion, and Pravin Goel of BlackRock India, to discuss how GCCs are evolving to become central to enterprise innovation and strategic success. How can enterprises ensure that their GCCs build the talent they need and capture the value of new technologies?

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 this episode of McKinsey Talks Operations, host Daphne Luchtenberg talks with McKinsey’s Julian Salguero who shares insights on the importance of talent management, particularly in the face of labor market shortfalls and the evolving needs of different generations in today’s workforce. The episode also features Lindsay DeVagno, VP of Human Resources at Keurig Dr Pepper, speaking with McKinsey consultant, Tyler Freeman, about her experiences and strategies in managing workforce challenges. The discussion explores the impact of technology on operations, the importance of leadership and development opportunities in retaining talent, and innovative approaches to flexibility and career advancement within the manufacturing sector.

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 the coming of age of Gen Z—both as customers and new entrants to the workforce—customer demands are changing. At the same time, the arrival of generative AI (gen AI) is changing the way contact centers can respond to those demands. In this episode of McKinsey Talks Operations, host Daphne Luchtenberg is joined by McKinsey partners Eric Buesing and Brian Blackader to discuss the latest trends, the importance of a cohesive support strategy, and actionable steps contact center leaders can take to improve their customer care functions. Organizations must navigate the changing landscape of customer care with agility to stay ahead of the game—but is it a game they can ever win?

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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Achieving operational excellence takes practice. But in high stakes operations, practice could prove costly—or even dangerous—if things go wrong. In this episode of McKinsey Talks Operations, host Daphne Luchtenberg is joined by Amy Radermacher, Markus Hammer, and Professor Christian Ramsauer to explore how capability center learning programs can allow organizations to experiment in a safe environment, learn from things going wrong, and build new bonds in teams for better performance in their own working 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

See www.mckinsey.com/privacy-policy for privacy information