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Jay Gelb

PartnerNew York

Works with insurers to link their strategy to value creation and the investor story

Jay helps leading firms in the global insurance industry deliver improved results and sustained growth as part of their strategy and transformations. He works across life insurance, annuity, and property-casualty businesses.

Examples of Jay’s recent client work include the following:

  • developing the business-unit strategy for an annuity provider focused on improving returns while identifying next-generation growth opportunities
  • enhancing a property-casualty carrier’s positioning with investors compared to competitors by applying a new segmentation analysis
  • supporting a global insurer’s strategy to increase its emerging markets presence including through new partnerships
  • advancing a multi-national carrier’s efforts to transform its business, enhance product offerings, and explore acquisition opportunities
  • crafting a life insurer’s adjacent growth opportunities that would leverage its strengths and customer relationships

In addition to his client work, Jay authors reports on strategic issues confronting the insurance industry and contributes to industry publications.

Before joining McKinsey, Jay was a managing director at a leading financial services firm in New York where he led the US Insurance industry equity research effort. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation.

Published Work

What your most important investors need to know,” McKinsey & Company, November 2023

Investors want to hear from companies about the value of sustainability,” McKinsey & Company, September 2023

The investors you want disdain ‘short termism’,” blog entry, McKinsey & Company, August 2023

The investors that matter still want you to focus on the long term,” McKinsey & Company, April 2023

Developing an effective M&A blueprint for insurers,” McKinsey & Company, March 2022

A better investor story for insurers,” McKinsey & Company, September 2021

A better approach to M&A in North American insurance,” McKinsey & Company, March 2021

Past Experience

Barclays
Managing director

Education

Bentley University
MBA, finance

University of Massachusetts at Amherst
BA, finance