Q&A with Kyle
As an experienced professional recruit, Kyle has spent most of his 15+ year career working in the turnaround/restructuring arena, helping clients in distress. Joining McKinsey's Recovery and Transformation Services group recently, Kyle is working in one of the newer McKinsey practices.
Interviewer: The economist Joseph Schumpeter famously wrote about “waves of creative destruction.” You’ve certainly seen your share.
Kyle: Much of my career has been focused on helping companies in distress. I have taken many companies into and out of bankruptcy, as well as helped them avoid bankruptcy. I have a background in finance, but my experience has varied—ranging from negotiating billion dollar financings to working in a pasta plant, wearing a hairnet, and playing softball with Teamsters!
Interviewer: Don't be modest. You also played a major role in one of the most important transformations in American business history.
Kyle: Yes, at my previous firm, I was the chief restructuring officer at General Motors Corporation (aka Motors Liquidation Corporation), responsible for navigating “Old GM” through the largest industrial bankruptcy in history.
Interviewer: In the 1930s, when there was little professional hope for businesses in trouble, McKinsey was the first to systemize the practice of turning companies around. Now you're here. Is it like back to the future?
Kyle: I’m thrilled to continue that tradition. The ability to shape the future of an entirely new practice at McKinsey was an opportunity just too hard to pass up.
I felt the combination of experienced restructuring professionals and the functional/industry experience from the McKinsey core would change the competitive landscape of the restructuring industry—and it has! We have seen tremendous growth and I cannot wait to see where the practice goes from here!
Interviewer: You’ve worked in many business cultures yourself and interacted with dozens more. What surprised you about being inside McKinsey?
Kyle: While I expected to be challenged and to work with very smart people, I was surprised by McKinsey’s analytical rigor. (I actually joked that I didn’t expect to see Excel loaded onto my computer.) I quickly learned that McKinsey is much more than PowerPoint slides. I was impressed by the deep knowledge at every level, and the collaborative, nonhierarchical nature. To be honest, I had to get used to being challenged by a business analyst. But it’s also nice to have a director quickly return e-mails.
Interviewer: If we were writing a book Only at McKinsey, what examples would you contribute?
Kyle: A couple come to mind. We were working with a subsidiary of a Brazilian company that was reporting a $20 million profit but losing $200 million in cash. Other than me, the team had little restructuring experience. It included a Chilean, an Argentinian, a Brazilian—the only one who spoke Portuguese—and me, a Texan!
The challenges and intensity of the project created strong team bonds and, most importantly, led to management and reporting tools to prevent that kind of aberrant financial results.
In another case, we were tasked with analyzing the capex of a troubled bowling chain. One of our business analysts became so engrossed that she voluntarily visited more than 80 bowling alleys to physically inspect each roof, basement, and HVAC system. At other firms, someone with her credentials would not think about stepping into a bowling alley—let alone on top of one.
Interviewer: That study had a profound outcome, didn't it?
Kyle: Over a year, we assisted the company in developing a turnaround plan that allowed it to continue to operate; while this may not seem like “save the world” kind of stuff, the 7,000 people still employed may beg to differ. And seriously, what would the world be without bowling?
Interviewer: One of the reasons people join McKinsey is its “network for life.” Have you seen examples of that in your short time with the firm?
Kyle: Absolutely. I’ve benefitted already from a referral from a former Charlotte, North Carolina partner. I think the support that McKinsey provides and the collaborative teamwork creates an environment where people want to stay in touch. I’d describe my colleagues as genuine, down-to-earth, and incredibly honest and smart. One of my mentors has been with McKinsey for more than 20 years, speaks a number of different languages having lived throughout the world, and has spent hours with me answering my questions and helping me to navigate.
Interviewer: What three adjectives and what three verbs would you, as an experienced professional, use to describe McKinsey?
Kyle: Adjectives—fun, adventurous, and innovative. Verbs–collaborate, implement, and change.
Education
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University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School
MBA
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Texas A&M
BS