In a connected yet increasingly contested world, organizations, including ours, are focused on not just strengthening resilience but also on creating value.
As such, following the establishment of McKinsey’s Geopolitics Advisory Council in 2023, McKinsey’s Geopolitics Practice is now further strengthening the Council, whose members will serve as advisors to our firm and sharpen the counsel we provide to our clients.
With thanks to former U.S. Ambassador to China and Russia, and Utah Governor Jon Huntsman for helping launch and chair our inaugural Council, our expanded Council will be co-chaired by the 71st and 66th U.S. Secretaries of State Antony Blinken and Condoleezza Rice.
The Council will comprise:
Co-chairs
- Antony Blinken, 71st U.S. Secretary of State
- Condoleezza Rice, 66th U.S. Secretary of State
Members
- Doug Beck, former Director of the U.S. Department of Defense’s Defense Innovation Unit and Vice President, Americas and Northeast Asia, Apple
- Iván Duque Márquez, former President of Colombia
- Arancha González, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Spain
- Enrico Letta, former Prime Minister of Italy
- Robert Lighthizer, former U.S. Trade Representative
- Shivshankar Menon, former National Security Advisor of India
- Marty Natalegawa, former Foreign Minister of Indonesia
- Mark Sedwill, former National Security Advisor of the United Kingdom
“In times of profound uncertainty, leaders don’t just need resilience—they need foresight and clarity,” says Bob Sternfels, McKinsey’s global managing partner. “The Geopolitics Advisory Council ensures we bring both—helping us and, by extension, our clients see around corners and act with confidence on the global stage.”
Cindy Levy, a McKinsey senior partner, adds, “We will continue to engage with the Council regularly so their input becomes part of our ongoing capability to support our clients, not just a one-off. That cadence keeps us grounded in the realities of a fast-changing global landscape and helps us refine the client resilience and growth plays for the current environment.”
Council members draw on decades of experience making strategic decisions at the highest levels of government across defense, diplomacy, trade, technology, and the economy.
“The world is becoming a more challenging place for companies to operate—shaped by shifting alliances, new trade dynamics, and technological disruption,” says Shubham Singhal, a McKinsey senior partner. “By bringing together voices from across Asia, Europe, the Americas, and beyond, the Council helps us hone our perspective and ensure we bring a truly global view to our clients.”
Ziad Haider, McKinsey partner and global director of geopolitics, adds, “We often talk to our clients about the need to invest in insight, oversight, and foresight as core elements of building geopolitical resilience. Strengthening this Council reflects our investment in the same. Its members will continue to augment our capabilities across all three elements. Moreover, a more multipolar world also demands multipolar perspectives. As such, these leaders bring not just a caliber of experience but a diversity of views that will be an invaluable compass for our firm and our clients.”
Membership of our Geopolitics Advisory Council will continue to remain dynamic, diverse, and responsive to the needs of our firm.
