Wouter Aghina is a partner in McKinsey’s Amsterdam office. He leads McKinsey’s organization Design Practice in EMEA. He also 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, enterprise agility, 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
“The path to agility: a staged approach,” McKinsey & Company, March 2018
“The five trademarks of agile organizations,” McKinsey & Company, January 2018
“How to create an agile organization,” McKinsey & Company, October 2017
“Agility: It rhymes with stability,” McKinsey Quarterly, December 2015
“The past and future of global organizations,” McKinsey Quarterly, September 2014
“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, business adminstration
University of Delft
MS, mechanical engineering
MMS Institute
Certified personal coach