From CEO burnout to the impact of AI on jobs, energy, and trade, McKinsey thought leaders are regularly asked to weigh in on the issues shaping today’s business landscape. We’ll occasionally land in your inbox with timely coverage from top global outlets—alongside related McKinsey insights—to help you stay informed, respond with agility, and lead with confidence.
CEO burnout is real and rising. More top executives are prioritizing their physical and mental wellness, recognizing critical links to professional success. Some are even operating like professional athletes. McKinsey’s Bob Sternfels remarks that CEOs face “an ever-shifting array of problems and threats” and need new habits of mind, body, and spirit to lead their teams to success.
“‘You can’t be at the peak forever’: how CEOs are learning to pace themselves” [Financial Times, July 19]
Also read: “The CEO as elite athlete: What business leaders can learn from modern sports”
The great trade reset. As US–China trade tensions persist, businesses are rethinking their supply chains, considering alternative suppliers, reducing purchases, substituting imports, or increasing domestic production—options that demand time, resources, and expertise. In a video interview, McKinsey’s Olivia White shares how understanding product-level market dynamics can help leaders make smarter moves.
“Europe at the center of global trade rearrangement: McKinsey Global Institute” [CNBC, July 10]
Also read: “The great trade rearrangement”
The AI boom is reshaping US energy demand. The rapid growth of gas power plant development is straining supply chains and driving closer collaboration between developers, manufacturers, and construction firms. McKinsey’s Humayun Tai highlights the necessity of gas as a backup until alternative, low-cost energy storage solutions are developed.
“Rush for US gas plants drives up costs, lead times” [Reuters, July 21]
Also read: “Powering a new era of US energy demand”
Can AI solve its own energy problem? To address its soaring energy consumption demands, the AI industry is implementing advanced cooling technologies, energy-efficient chips, and smarter programming. McKinsey’s Pankaj Sachdeva highlights the role of AI-powered sensors in data centers, which conserve water and electricity by targeting cooling to specific zones, and liquid cooling, which has the potential to replace traditional energy-intensive air conditioning systems.
“Tech giants scramble to meet AI’s looming energy crisis” [Barron’s, July 14]
Also read: “Data centers: The race to power AI”
Job postings are shifting. UK employers are pulling back on roles that are likely to be affected by AI. McKinsey’s Tera Allas explains that companies are reassessing hiring strategies in anticipation of productivity gains as AI technology and its applications continue to mature.
“AI is already showing signs of slashing UK job openings” [Bloomberg, July 13]
Also read: “McKinsey Technology Trends Outlook 2025”