The So What from BCG

The So What from BCG is taking a short break over the holidays - if you’re celebrating, I hope you’re having a lovely time.We’ve been hard at work arranging a host of exciting guests and topics for our upcoming episodes from the 5th of January. We’ll be talking about the beauty and power of language; wealth equity; the emotional value of work; how to protect your brain from distractions, and much much more.Happy holidays - and we’ll see you next year.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacyThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

More than half of M&A deals fail, while winning deals can deliver five times the average payoff. Daniel Friedman, BCG’s global leader of transactions and integrations, explains the importance of a clear plan, thoughtful choice of targets, and strong teamwork. Finally, if company cultures don’t mesh, even the strongest financial deals won’t create lasting value.    Learn More: Daniel Friedman: https://on.bcg.com/3V2Wlnp M&A Activity by Year: The BCG M&A Report Collection: https://on.bcg.com/3OdAV3j BCG on M&A: https://on.bcg.com/4hYkp4y CEO Moments of Truth: https://on.bcg.com/TSWMoT This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

Hubertus Meinecke, BCG’s global climate and sustainability lead, and Axel Reinaud, CEO of NetZero, discuss what climate startups can learn from large corporations and vice versa. Corporations have capital that startups need but take a long time to make decisions. Startups are fast moving and have strong technical skills but are short on the capital that large corporations can provide.  Learn More: Hubertus Meinecke: https://on.bcg.com/3AqhSzp Axel Reinaud: https://netzero.green/en/team/ NetZero: https://netzero.green/en/ Green Growth Accelerator: https://on.bcg.com/4furqrQ CEO Moments of Truth https://on.bcg.com/TSWMoT This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

Judith Wallenstein, leader of BCG’s CEO Advisory, explains how chiefs of staff help CEO’s succeed and identify the characteristics that matter most in this role. The best chiefs of staff have integrity, confidence, and a selfless commitment to their boss —becoming part of a CEO’s inner circle by staying out of the spotlight. Learn More: Judith Wallenstein: https://on.bcg.com/402EekT CEO Agenda: https://on.bcg.com/400T1MM How CEOs Can Find the Right Chief of Staff: https://on.bcg.com/3NowT7K CEO Moments of Truth https://on.bcg.com/TSWMoT This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

Mark Abraham, leader of BCG’s Marketing, Sales & Pricing practice in North America, explains how organizations can combine the physical and digital to create powerful customer experiences. As co-author of the new book Personalized: Customer Strategy in the Age of AI, Abraham explains that few actually hit the mark—wasting resources and leaving customers disappointed. Learn More: Mark Abraham: https://on.bcg.com/3NdACFc Read Personalized: Customer Strategy in the Age of AI: https://on.bcg.com/3zVUEAN BCG on Personalization: https://on.bcg.com/4eRv1QK CEO Moments of Truth: https://on.bcg.com/TSWMoT This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

What are today’s big business challenges and why is it a great time to be a CEO? Christoph Schweizer talks about what he has learned in his three years at the helm.    Hear Christoph’s insights on how CEOs navigate difficult decisions, including his own "moment of truth" when he faced a critical challenge.  Learn More: Watch Christoph's one-on-one discussions with CEOs: https://on.bcg.com/TSWMoT Explore the latest for CEOs from CEOs: https://on.bcg.com/4exCwvS Christoph Schweizer: https://on.bcg.com/3MU8eaZ This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

Can risk management evolve from a check-the-box exercise into a driver of innovation? Tad Roselund, BCG’s former chief risk officer, explains how organizations can create advantage by anticipating challenges, training employees to spot risks, and balancing prevention with recovery. Learn More: Tad Roselund: https://on.bcg.com/3WR4Ge2  BCG on Risk and Compliance: https://on.bcg.com/3Toc1RB CEO Moments of Truth: https://on.bcg.com/TSWMoTThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

One in every three people will likely find their jobs significantly disrupted by AI in the next decade. Sagar Goel, leader of BCG’s work in digital reskilling and leadership development, talks about the role of the public and private sectors in preparing employees for this exciting, uncertain, and sometimes frightening world.   Learn More: Sagar Goel: https://on.bcg.com/46D3O12 Sagar’s TED Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qC1QlUr5mCE BCG on AI: https://on.bcg.com/3SClDaT Reskilling in the Age of AI: https://hbr.org/2023/09/reskilling-in-the-age-of-aiThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

In a world of microtargeted ads and niche audiences, sports remain one of the few remaining opportunities for brands to capture the attention of the masses. Dan Wald, global lead of BCG’s sports business, talks about how the Olympics works to stay relevant in a fragmented world. How can businesses and sports leagues incorporate this success into their current strategies?     Learn More: Dan Wald: https://on.bcg.com/4dfqw1g Marketing and Sales: https://on.bcg.com/46jJ7Hx This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

The average US consumer belongs to around 14 loyalty programs. Edward Crouch, BCG’s global leader for loyalty and membership, explains how unique experiences and personalization can convert everyday customers into loyal fans.    Learn More: Edward Crouch: https://on.bcg.com/3zgpaF0 Loyalty Programs Need Next-Generation Design: https://on.bcg.com/4chjlWy Travel and Tourism: https://on.bcg.com/3KXgJ3X This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

One in every three US adults has a criminal record that follows them like a lead weight as they look for work. Lina Bankert, managing director and partner in BCG’s Chicago office, and Kathleen St. Louis Caliento, president and CEO of Cara Collective, explain that formerly incarcerated people can be model employees. Hiring always involves risk. By partnering with government agencies and nonprofit organizations, companies can set up fair-chance hires for success in the workplace. Many of them, for example, also need help with housing and transportation that agencies can provide.   Learn More: Lina Bankert: on.bcg.com/4c7gm2Q Kathleen St. Louis Caliento: Kathleen St. Louis Caliento - Cara Collective Three Roads to Equitable and Inclusive Talent Development: on.bcg.com/3xifUQa Cara Collective: Home - Cara Collective This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

Brian Collie, BCG’s global leader for the automotive and mobility sector, explains that price and range anxiety remain as barriers to adoption of electric vehicles. Even so, recent BCG research in the US found that nearly 40% of surveyed consumers are considering a switch to electric for their next vehicle. To tap into that demand, manufacturers need to lower their cost structure—they currently lose $6,000-$30,000 per car—and work with partners.     Learn More: Brian Collie: on.bcg.com/3XnvKTX Automotive Industry: on.bcg.com/4ejyMid Can OEMs Catch the Next Wave of EV Adopters?: on.bcg.com/3KJ9UCS This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

Banks and other financial systems are the lifeblood of the economy. But most of them trade at less than book value, constrained by regulation, the growth of private credit, and tech startups. Kilian Berz, global vice chair of BCG’s financial institutions practice, explains how traditional banks can regain their footing through leadership and transformation.Learn More:Kilian Berz:https://on.bcg.com/4bDKQcj Financial Institutions: https://on.bcg.com/3wLmFK5 To Seize a $7 Trillion Opportunity, Banks Need Bolder Strategies for Serving Customers and Society: https://on.bcg.com/4byWlSm   This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

Current economic models are not up to the challenge of capturing the real-world complexities of climate change. But better models are on the horizon. Sophia Davies, BCG’s lead for climate tech partnerships, explains how AI can supercharge these models to predict how public policies will motivate the private sector. Early returns suggest we may be vastly underestimating the effect of policy on climate change.      Learn More: Climate and Sustainability: on.bcg.com/3QOGjeX AI: on.bcg.com/3K69aHS “Deep Design” Could Take On the World’s Big Systemic Challenges: https://on.bcg.com/3K6oFPV This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

If cybercrime were a country, it would be the third largest economy in the world. Paul O’Rourke, BCG’s global cybersecurity leader, explains how organizations can protect themselves and their supply chains: Start by recognizing that the elimination of all risks is impossible. Instead focus security efforts on an organization’s “crown jewels”—its most critical digital assets. Leaders don’t need to be cyber experts. But regulators may hold them responsible for some breaches, so they better understand and address the risks. Learn More: Paul O’Rourke: https://on.bcg.com/3QAoPCN Cybersecurity and Digital Risk: https://on.bcg.com/3UwRTwg Every C-Suite Member Is Now a Chief AI Officer: https://on.bcg.com/3UJ7ry9 This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

Joe Davis, BCG’s former regional chair for North America, says you can make tough decisions without being a “tough guy.” In the executive suite, empathy and authenticity are in, according to Davis, the author of the new business book, The Generous Leader.  Even as tech skills dominate the headlines, Davis celebrates the enduring value of mastering people skills. Learn More:  The Generous Leader: A Leadership Book by Joe Davis | The Generous Leader Joe Davis: https://on.bcg.com/3Q9pMlw Do Not Stop Asking Questions and Listening Carefully to the Answers: https://on.bcg.com/3Jx5LBy  Turning Superheroes into a Super Leadership Team: https://on.bcg.com/4d2fnlk This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

The original BRIC acronym came to life in 2001 to describe the untapped economic potential of Brazil, Russia, India, and China. This informal grouping of nations has since coalesced into a rising economic force, especially since the entry of South Africa in 2010 and Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates at the start of this year. Daniel Azevedo—leader of BCG’s global advantage practice in Europe, the Middle East, South America, and Africa —explains how global companies can navigate a world in which economic power is heading south.   Learn More: Daniel Azevedo: https://on.bcg.com/3vli2Wc Jobs, National Security, and the Future of Trade: https://on.bcg.com/3TLkE9o These 9 Forces Are Reshaping the Global Business Landscape: https://on.bcg.com/3VrSwJr This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

Listen as BCG AI conversational agent GENE and editor in chief Paul Michelman highlight the opportunities and obstacles ahead for CEOs, as outlined in BCG’s most recent thought leadership. The duo share which steps to take now before an expected M&A resurgence, the lessons to be learned from fintech, and how to advance carbon dioxide reduction. LEARN MORE After you listen, dive deep into the details in these bcg.com publications: AI at Work 2024: Friend and Foe (https://www.bcg.com/publications/2024/ai-at-work-friend-foe) M&A Insights H1 2024: The Recovery Continues (https://www.bcg.com/publications/2024/m-and-a-market-insights-series-h1-2024) Prudence, Profits, and Growth (https://www.bcg.com/publications/2024/global-fintech-prudence-profits-and-growth) Boosting Demand for Carbon Dioxide Removal (https://www.bcg.com/publications/2024/boosting-demand-for-carbon-dioxide-removal) Subscribe to CEO Digest: https://link.chtbl.com/ceo-digest-bcg-showFor more insight from BCG on the CEO Agenda, visit https://on.bcg.com/4cSLtiu. Hear more of GENE on Imagine This… at https://link.chtbl.com/imagine-this-show-link, BCG’s future-focused podcast series. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

Responsible investing goes back decades or even longer if pronouncements in the Old Testament and Qur’an are considered. Environment, social, and governance goals have become embedded in corporate strategy, even if the acronym ESG has become polarizing. Tim Mohin, director of climate and sustainability at BCG, discusses this evolution and what the next iteration might look like. One thing is clear: these goals aren’t going away even if companies stop talking about them.      Learn More: Tim Mohin: https://on.bcg.com/3TK47kE Climate Change and Sustainability: https://on.bcg.com/3xl1QoG This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

What would you have done differently if you had anticipated the likelihood of a global pandemic or the explosion of generative AI? In BCG’s newest podcast Imagine This..., BCG’s editor in chief Paul Michelman, and his AI co-host GENE delve into disruptive scenarios that could define the coming decades. BCG experts join the conversation, probing the possibilities and implications for leaders. Human and machine work together to explore the very real actions CEOs could take today to prepare.   By 2030, the best CIO might be a CIB: a chief intelligence bot. And the human CEO might be bolstered by a swarm of CEO bots, able to harness a vast diversity of perspectives. Can you imagine? In this episode, BCG’s Mickey McManus envisions a future where top leaders share the corner office with AI—blending the logical with human intuition. Mickey, a BCG senior advisor and a pioneer in human-centered design, considers how a company like this would function. Hint: he recommends an approach much like jazz improvisation.   Learn More You’ll find more of what BCG has to say about generative AI here:  https://on.bcg.com/3UuWtNd  GenAI on GenAI: https://link.chtbl.com/bcg-genai-on-genai?sid=IT  Also, in this episode, Mickey recommends an entirely new reading list for the C-suite, including:  Iain M. Banks’s Culture series: https://www.amazon.com/The-Culture-9-book-series/dp/B07WLZZ9WV Joy Buolamwini’s Unmasking AI [https://www.amazon.com/Unmasking-AI-Mission-Protect-Machines/dp/0593241835] Safiya Umoja Noble’s Algorithms of Oppression [https://www.amazon.com/Algorithms-Oppression-Search-Engines-Reinforce/dp/1479837245] This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy