What makes a leadership team truly high performing, and why does it matter for the entire organization? Judith Wallenstein, CEO Advisory Global Lead of BCG, and Khadija Ben Hammada, Chief People Officer of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, explore this topic and more. They share how CEOs can build executive teams grounded in trust, purpose, and psychological safety. When the top team clicks, the whole company moves faster and with more clarity.

Learn more: https://lnk.to/so-what-general-show32

Learn More:

Judith Wallenstein, Managing Director & Senior Partner, Global Lead, CEO Advisory

https://www.bcg.com/about/people/experts/judith-wallenstein

Khadija Ben Hammada, Member of the Executive Board and Chief People Officer for Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany

https://www.emdgroup.com/en/company/management/executive-board/khadija-ben-hammada.html

Subscribe to BCG’s YouTube channel: https://goo.gl/hsFsVT

Visit us at https://www.bcg.com

Chapters

(00:00) Intro

(00:17) How do you build a high-performing leadership team?

(01:36) What makes a team work?

(02:12) What does a high-performing team feel like?

(03:45) How much of team success depends on the CEO’s behavior and decisions?

(05:55) When hiring, what are you looking for — what’s the secret sauce?

(08:47) What should the CEO–Chief People Officer relationship look like?

(09:50) What did you learn as chief of staff that you apply on an executive team?

(11:42) How do team members to elevate collective performance?

(13:01) How should leadership adapt in an era of uncertainty?

(16:35) How do you keep a team successful when key people move on?

(19:27) What's steps should leaders take now to create a top-performing team?

(21:03) Outro

The global energy transition is growing in complexity with shifting economics, soaring electricity demand, and competing national priorities. Maurice Burns and Asheesh Sastry from BCG’s Center for Energy Impact lay out how leaders can keep up by focusing on the economics, creating strategies for individual markets, and staying ahead of policy shifts.

Learn More:

1. Maurice Berns, Chair, BCG Center for Energy Impact https://www.bcg.com/about/people/experts/maurice-berns
2. Asheesh Sastry, Managing Director & Senior Partner https://www.bcg.com/about/people/experts/asheesh-sastry
3. The Energy Transition’s Next Chapter https://www.bcg.com/publications/2025/global-energy-landscape-next-chapter
4. BCG Center for Energy Impact https://www.bcg.com/industries/energy/center-for-energy-impact/default
5. About the Energy Transition https://www.bcg.com/industries/energy/energy-transition

Join several BCG senior partners as they share their insights from their time on the ground at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos. BCG invites you to an exclusive look at the forces shaping the CEO agenda in 2026.

BCG’s Judith Wallenstein, Aparna Bharadwaj, and Vlad Lukic discuss what they learned from their personal conversations with CEOs and global leaders at Davos. They share practical guidance for organizations preparing for the year ahead in AI, geopolitics, and other areas.

Chapters

Learn more:

BCG at Davos, https://www.bcg.com/about/partner-ecosystem/world-economic-forum/davos

BCG’s CEO Agenda, https://www.bcg.com/executives/ceo-agenda

Judith Wallenstein, Global Leader, CEO Advisory https://www.bcg.com/about/people/experts/judith-wallenstein

Aparna Bharadwaj, Global Leader, Global Advantage Practice https://www.bcg.com/about/people/experts/aparna-bharadwaj

Vlad Lukic, Global Leader, Tech and Digital Advantage https://www.bcg.com/about/people/experts/vladimir-lukic

CEOs must pursue growth transformation with the same rigor that they bring when they tackle costs. Tuukka Seppä, BCG’s global chair of transformation, explains why CEOs need bold targets, smart incentives, and relentless follow-through to scale effectively. He unpacks the common misconceptions that hold companies back, the impact of a chief transformation officer, and why this is the moment to shift from reacting to rebuilding.

Listen on podcast platforms: https://lnk.to/so-what-general-show12

Learn More:

1. Tuukka Seppa: https://www.bcg.com/about/people/experts/tuukka-seppa
2. BCG’s Latest Thinking on Business Transformation: https://www.bcg.com/capabilities/business-transformation/insights
3. CEO’s Guide to Growth in 2026 article: https://www.bcg.com/publications/2026/the-ceos-guide-to-growth-seizing-opportunity
4. BCG at Davos 2026: https://www.bcg.com/about/partner-ecosystem/world-economic-forum/davos

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction

00:28–00:55 What’s Your “So What” on Growth?

00:55–01:50 If Growth Is a Strategic Choice, What Does It Take to Succeed?

01:50–03:16 Why Do Some Companies Grow During Extreme Volatility?

03:16–04:13 What Does Structured Growth Leadership Look Like in Practice?

04:13–05:12 Can Too Much Discipline Limit Growth in a Volatile World?

05:12–06:03 How Do You Build Flexibility and Adaptability into Growth?

06:03–07:36 Is It Obvious Where Growth Should Come From? How Do Leaders Decide What Good Growth Is?

07:36–10:20 Why Do Two-Thirds of Companies Miss Growth Targets?

10:20–11:05 What Does “Growing from a Strong Base” Mean?

11:05–12:35 How Do You Measure Growth Without Killing It Too Early?

12:35–13:55 How Important Is a Chief Transformation Officer?

13:55–14:37 What Buffers Matter for Growth — and Why Now?

14:37–16:06 What’s the Typical Timeline for a Growth Transformation?

16:06–17:54 What Unlocks the Shift from Efficiency to Growth?

17:54–19:48 What Role Can AI Play in Accelerating Growth?

19:48–20:41 When Is the Right Time to Start a Growth Program?

20:41–21:33 The ‘Now What’

21:21–21:33 Outro

Rich Lesser, BCG’s global chair, and Martin Reeves, chairman of the BCG Henderson Institute, reflect on the shocks and surprises that shaped the first half of the decade and what they reveal about the future. They explore the traits leaders need today: building trust, staying geopolitically aware, and adopting AI in a people-centered way.

Learn More:

Rich Lesser: https://on.bcg.com/4lZrWla

Martin Reeves: https://on.bcg.com/4lXaAVX

Winning in the 20s: https://on.bcg.com/4lpe1oo

Winning the ’20s: A Leadership Agenda for the Next Decade: https://on.bcg.com/40iscDs

Many companies have a blind spot when it comes to serving women. In fields from health care to financial services, they often treat women just like men—even though their needs are very different. BCG’s Alex Friedman and Trish Stroman share tangible steps leaders can take today to better serve women—who are responsible for up to 80% of spending. Organizations that are best positioned won't guess what women want—they’ll co-create with them and design for real needs.

Learn More:

Alex Friedman: https://on.bcg.com/3XW4lry

Trish Stroman: https://on.bcg.com/3KSkJWU

Closing the Menopause Care Gap: The Next Frontier in Women’s Health https://on.bcg.com/4oWSkNo

BCG’s Latest Thinking on the Healthcare Industry: https://on.bcg.com/3KXXCdH

BCG’s Innovate Her: https://on.bcg.com/3KSqiVs

Chapters:

00:00-00:57 Introduction

00:58-02:26 Why don't businesses successfully target and serve women?

02:27-03:30 Why is women's health still underinvested in?

03:31-05:04 Why has momentum shifted?

05:05-06:06 How big of an economic opportunity is this?

06:07-07:06 Where are the most immediate areas businesses can create value?

07:07-08:30 How can you scan your business for opportunities?

08:31-09:21 What do leaders say are the biggest opportunities and stumbling blocks?

09:22-11:50 Upcoming innovations that could solve problems for female consumers

11:51-12:58 What sectors have the most to gain from targeting female consuemrs?

12:59-14:13 What businesses are excelling?

14:14-16:03 Is there enough investment in this space?

16:04-17:52 What's the productivity and talent cost when women aren’t supported?

17:53-19:38 How to persuade a board that this is worth investing resources in

19:39-21:04 The ‘Now What’

21:05-21:15 Outro

Help us celebrate our very own Georgie Frost, who earned the Bronze Lovie Award for Best Podcast Host thanks to her outstanding work on The So What from BCG!

Georgie was also a finalist for the People’s Lovie Award for Best Podcast Host.

The Lovie Awards are the European cousin of the Webby Awards, celebrating the best of the best across the continent.

If you’d like to send a warm note, a congratulatory message, or simply an email full of emoji confetti, please send an email to thesowhat@bcg.com.

Congratulations to Georgie and thank you all for making the podcast a success!

What happens when AI meets your most human processes like hiring, feedback, and development? Alicia Pittman, BCG’s global people chair, shares how the firm uses AI to amplify human strengths, not replace them. From building trust to rethinking management roles, she offers a roadmap for leaders navigating AI-powered change.

Learn More:

Alicia Pittman: https://on.bcg.com/4pcZ2Qs

BCG’s Latest Thinking on People Strategy: https://on.bcg.com/43X5rGT

A Promise That Brings AI to Life Responsibly: https://on.bcg.com/4anxsLC

Chapters:

00:00-00:56 Introduction/Alicia’s ‘So What’

00:57-02:18 Lessons from BCG’s AI journey

02:19-05:24 Where is AI being used at BCG in people management?

05:25-07:08 What challenges has BCG faced?

07:09-08:04 What didn’t work at first?

08:05-09:43 How do you measure success with AI?

09:44-13:10 What are the biggest concerns for leaders at other companies?

13:11-14:56 What has to stay human?

14:57-15:40 What does a human in the loop look like for BCG?

15:41-18:50 Should you act now or wait and see how AI plays out?

18:51-21:38 How is AI reshaping how we learn?

21:39-21:59 Advice for leaders

22:00-22:50 Alicia’s ‘Now What’

22:51-23:06 Outro