About Wouter
Wouter Aghina is a principal in McKinsey’s Amsterdam office and leads McKinsey’s organization work in the high-tech and advanced-industries sectors. He has deep experience in serving global high-tech companies and technology functions in other industries, with a focus on organization and leadership, R&D strategy and operations, strategy development, and M&A.
Wouter has led several large-scale transformation programs for high-tech clients, helping them achieve sustained improvement in both performance and organizational health. These programs focus on strengthening mind-sets and capabilities at all levels, from the leadership team to the front line. In this work, Wouter believes strongly in integrating “hard” measures to boost operational and financial performance with “soft” skills such as self-awareness and effective teamwork.
For example, Wouter worked with a leading global semiconductor-equipment company to design and execute a large-scale leadership-capability program that would build skills while realizing key strategic priorities. As part of the program, Wouter provided the 15 top executives with in-depth, one-on-one implementation support and coaching.
Wouter has also led far-reaching R&D transformation programs at two global high-tech companies, including redesigning R&D processes and organization, strengthening talent management and leadership, and integrating lean principles into R&D.
Published work
“How the best labs manage talent,” McKinsey Quarterly, May 2011
Past experience
| Forrester Research |
Research analyst |
| Renault, France |
Research engineer |
Education
| INSEAD |
MBA |
| Rotterdam School of Management |
MS in business administration |
| University of Delft |
MS in mechanical engineering |
| MMS Institute |
Certified personal coach |