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Michael Harney

Partner, New York

Brings deep expertise in sales, marketing, and operational functions while partnering with industrial leaders to drive holistic transformations

About Michael

Michael is a partner in our New York office and leader in both our Growth, Marketing & Sales and our Advanced Industries Practices. His work focuses on driving sustained growth, operating efficiencies, product excellence, and commercial productivity, from strategy to long-term capability building. Over the past decade, he has led dozens of high-impact transformations leading to significant value creation (>$3 billion) and enhanced capabilities (>20,000 people upskilled) across a range of iconic companies, mid-caps, and entrepreneurial ventures.

Examples of his recent client work include the following:

  • leading a multiyear global commercial transformation for an advanced industrial company, resulting in a fully redesigned go-to-market model, new sales processes and channels, and a revised pricing system, as well as enabling a 15 to 20 percent improvement in sales productivity and more than $120 million in lasting impact
  • delivering a holistic transformation for a leading industrial manufacturing company, resulting in several million dollars of sustained financial impact along with radically enhanced capabilities and improved organizational health
  • developing an innovative pricing and contracting strategy for a leading distribution company, incorporating our digital expertise to build an integrated set of AI-enabled tools for finance and field-sales-force deployment, resulting in increased speed to market, improved market intelligence, and a $50 million increase in gross profit

Prior to joining McKinsey, Michael was a member of the operations leadership-development program at a global defense, security, and aerospace company, where he served in several operating leadership roles across the enterprise.

PUBLISHED WORK

From design to aftersales: Unlocking value in boat and yacht building,” McKinsey & Company, November 2025

Meeting the needs of younger boat and recreational-vehicle buyers,” McKinsey & Company, April 2023

Building next-generation B2B sales capabilities,” McKinsey & Company, February 2022

“Putting sales organizations on the path to a successful transformation,” McKinsey & Company, July 2019

Meet the missing ingredient in successful sales transformations,” McKinsey & Company, June 2019

PAST EXPERIENCE

BAE Systems
Operations leadership-development program

Pratt & Whitney (United Technologies)
Operations management

EDUCATION

Northeastern University, D’Amore-McKim School of Business
MBA, finance

Syracuse University, Martin J. Whitman School of Management
BS, marketing and supply-chain management