Today's episode comes directly from our recent European M&A Conference in London, which we co-hosted with Goldman Sachs. Sean spoke with the global leaders of our M&A practice after the conference to get their read on the climate for mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures. Mieke Van Oostende is a senior partner based in Brussels whose client work is focused on financial institutions, and Jake Henry is a senior partner in Chicago who previously co-led our work in life sciences.

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Today's episode comes directly from our recent European M&amp;A Conference in London, which we co-hosted with Goldman Sachs. Sean spoke with the global leaders of our M&amp;A practice after the conference to get their read on the climate for mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures. <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/mieke-van-oostende">Mieke Van Oostende</a> is a senior partner based in Brussels whose client work is focused on financial institutions, and <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/jake-henry">Jake Henry</a> is a senior partner in Chicago who previously co-led our work in life sciences.
Join our <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-&amp;-corporate-finance/?viewAsMember=true">LinkedIn community</a> of more than 89,000 members.
Explore more Inside the Strategy Room <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/itsr">episode transcripts on McKinsey.com</a>
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We all know the world is moving faster. We also know that 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 sit down with the world’s highest-performing CEOs, CFOs, innovators, and McKinsey experts and discuss how they build the courage, clarity, conviction, and cohesion that allows their businesses to win by moving faster than the world around them. 

We all know the world is moving faster. We also know that 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 sit down with the world’s highest-performing CEOs, CFOs, innovators, and McKinsey experts and discuss how they build the courage, clarity, conviction, and cohesion that allows their businesses to win by moving faster than the world around them.

M&A in 2023. What is the climate for mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures?

156. M&A insights and outlook for 2023

M&A dealmakers have been on a wild ride. From the pandemic-fueled rout in 2020 to 2021’s record-breaking recovery, followed by a steep decline in 2023, the global M&A market has offered something of a masterclass in volatility. In this episode, we are joined by senior partners Jake Henry, Mieke Van Oostende, and Andy West to discuss the trends in the global M&A environment in 2024 and what they mean for business leaders. Jake and Mieke recently published a report on McKinsey.com, Top M&A trends in 2024: Blueprint for success in the next wave of deals, which forms the basis for our discussion.

The report also includes a compendium of articles analyzing deal activity in the chemicals, tech media and telecom, life sciences, financial services, consumer goods, and transport and logistics industries in 2023. 

M&amp;A dealmakers have been on a wild ride. From the pandemic-fueled rout in 2020 to 2021’s record-breaking recovery, followed by a steep decline in 2023, the global M&amp;A market has offered something of a masterclass in volatility. In this episode, we are joined by senior partners <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/jake-henry">Jake Henry</a>, <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/mieke-van-oostende">Mieke Van Oostende</a>, and <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/andy-west">Andy West</a> to discuss the trends in the global M&amp;A environment in 2024 and what they mean for business leaders. Jake and Mieke recently published a report on McKinsey.com, <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/m-and-a/our-insights/top-m-and-a-trends-in-2024-blueprint-for-success-in-the-next-wave-of-deals">Top M&amp;A trends in 2024: Blueprint for success in the next wave of deals,</a> which forms the basis for our discussion.
The report also includes a compendium of articles analyzing deal activity in the <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/m-and-a/our-insights/chemicals-success-through-timely-tailored-action">chemicals</a>, <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/m-and-a/our-insights/thoughtful-m-and-a-strategies-are-key-to-growth-in-tech-media-and-telecom">tech media and telecom</a>, <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/m-and-a/our-insights/life-sciences-m-and-a-shows-new-signs-of-life">life sciences</a>, <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/m-and-a/our-insights/rebound-of-financial-services-m-and-a-focus-on-growth-and-capabilities">financial services</a>, <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/m-and-a/our-insights/consumer-goods-a-changing-landscape-for-successful-m-and-a">consumer goods</a>, and <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/m-and-a/our-insights/the-shifting-sands-of-m-and-a-in-transportation-and-logistics">transport and logistics</a> industries in 2023.

202. Charting your M&A course for 2024

Private equity firms have a well-earned reputation for elevating the performance of the companies they invest in. A cornerstone of their strategy is a relentless pursuit of operational excellence to drive efficiency and productivity. In this episode, we analyze what public company CEOs can glean from the private equity playbook to enhance their own company's performance. Our guests are John Kelleher and Radhika Ray.   

John is a senior partner in our Private Equity Special Operations group and serves as an interim in-house executive helping companies execute large PE-style transformations. John has served in multiple executive roles in the private equity industry—including as CEO—and is co-founder of the PE-CEO Alpha Institute, a partnership between McKinsey and Harvard Business School to train private equity portfolio company CEOs. 

Radhika is a partner in our Private Equity group and has over 15 years of experience in the private equity sector. She helps our clients with large-scale transformations and oversees the service line, implementing rapid labor productivity improvements.

Private equity firms have a well-earned reputation for elevating the performance of the companies they invest in. A cornerstone of their strategy is a relentless pursuit of operational excellence to drive efficiency and productivity. In this episode, we analyze what public company CEOs can glean from the private equity playbook to enhance their own company's performance. Our guests are <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/john-kelleher#">John Kelleher</a> and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/radhikaray/">Radhika Ray</a>.   
John is a senior partner in our Private Equity Special Operations group and serves as an interim in-house executive helping companies execute large PE-style transformations. John has served in multiple executive roles in the private equity industry—including as CEO—and is co-founder of the PE-CEO Alpha Institute, a partnership between McKinsey and Harvard Business School to train private equity portfolio company CEOs. 
Radhika is a partner in our Private Equity group and has over 15 years of experience in the private equity sector. She helps our clients with large-scale transformations and oversees the service line, implementing rapid labor productivity improvements.

201. Seven CEO insights from private equity

CEOs and CFOs are redefining their interactions with the board to ensure success in an era of rapid change. Joining us to delve into this growing trend of collaboration between CEOs, management teams, and boards are Celia Huber, leader of our North American board services practice, along with Michael Birshan and Andy West, the co-leaders of our Strategy and Corporate Finance Practice. 



Related reading: 

The board’s role in building resilience https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/the-boards-role-in-building-resilience

Five ways to increase your board’s long-term impact https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/five-ways-to-increase-your-boards-long-term-impact

The role of the board in preparing for extraordinary risk https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/the-role-of-the-board-in-preparing-for-extraordinary-risk

CEOs and CFOs are redefining their interactions with the board to ensure success in an era of rapid change. Joining us to delve into this growing trend of collaboration between CEOs, management teams, and boards are Celia Huber, leader of our North American board services practice, along with Michael Birshan and Andy West, the co-leaders of our Strategy and Corporate Finance Practice. 
 
<hr>
Related reading: 
The board’s role in building resilience <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/the-boards-role-in-building-resilience">https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/the-boards-role-in-building-resilience</a>
Five ways to increase your board’s long-term impact <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/five-ways-to-increase-your-boards-long-term-impact">https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/five-ways-to-increase-your-boards-long-term-impact</a>
The role of the board in preparing for extraordinary risk <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/the-role-of-the-board-in-preparing-for-extraordinary-risk">https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/the-role-of-the-board-in-preparing-for-extraordinary-risk</a>

156. M&A insights and outlook for 2023

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