About Bill
Based in Johannesburg, Bill leads our work with retailers and consumer goods companies across Sub-Saharan Africa. He works closely with clients on strategy, growth and operations issues, and is leading a major McKinsey initiative to develop insights into consumer spending, preferences and behavior across Africa.
Bill’s expertise includes merchandising, category strategy, assortment optimization, format redesign, and supply-chain transformation. Recent example’s of his work include:
- helping to develop growth strategies for consumer companies Nigeria, Egypt and South Africa, each of which resulted in significant market share gains
- leading an end to end merchandising transformation for a leading African retailer
- leading a large store operations transformation for a leading apparel retailer
- developing a new grocery format for a leading African retailer
- supporting the design and implementation of a supply chain transformation program for a leading FMCG company
Prior to joining McKinsey. Bill spent 7 years as a US naval officer and submariner, earning a master’s degree in nuclear engineering from the US Naval Nuclear Power School. He joined McKinsey in Atlanta, relocating to South Africa in 2007.
Published work
“The rise of the African consumer,” McKinsey Africa Consumer Insights Center, November 2012
“Winning the $30 trillion decathlon,” McKinsey, August 2012
“Africa’s path to growth: 200 million new customers,” McKinsey Quarterly, June 2010
Past experience
| Southwire, Inc. |
Business transformation team leader |
| Phelps Dodge |
Manager, strategic planning and business development |
| US Navy |
Nuclear submarine officer |
Education
| Georgia State University, Robinson School of Business |
MBA |
| US Naval Nuclear Power School |
MEng in nuclear engineering |
| Georgia Institute of Technology |
BS in electrical engineering |