"MCKINSEY IS REPOSITIONING ITSELF FOR THE AGE OF AI❞

Asutosh Padhi, Senior Partner and Global Leader for Firm Strategy at McKinsey & Company, on navigating a turbulent world

- BY GEORGE SKARIA

ASUTOSH PADHI, an IIT and IIM graduate, is the Chicago-based Senior Partner and Global Leader for Firm Strategy at McKinsey & Company. In an interview with BT, he talks about how companies can navigate the many disruptions they face at this moment. Edited excerpts:

With the global economy in a state of flux, what are you hearing from CEOs of global companies about their concerns?

The I have been spending a lot of time with CEOs around the world, and I would say that two topics are consistently on their minds. The first one is geopolitics, given all the uncertainty around tariffs and trade. The second is Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its disruptive impact. We are at the very beginning of what we are going to witness with AI. It’s going to be one of the most important forces of our lifetime.

Regarding geopolitics, what we're telling CEOs is, one, to have a perspective around what is the implication for your particular institution. We call this a value creation thesis. What does it imply in terms of your strategy, your customer footprint, your supply chain, and your operating footprint.

Our view is that the fastest learners will win. So, what are the things CEOs and institutions need to do to start realising the real benefits from AI? And do so in a very practical approach as opposed to a long-term multi-horizon planning.