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- 1 weeks ago19 min
How AI is Transforming Sales—and What To Do
Sales teams are no longer defined by a few superstar performers. Japjit Ghai, who leads BCG’s AI efforts for sales globally, explains how AI is reshaping the entire sales workflow—from lead prioritization to real-time coaching and closing the deal. Winners won’t bolt on tools. They’ll integrate AI and agents from end to end.Learn More:Japjit Ghai: https://on.bcg.com/48IzJiVHow AI Agents Will Transform B2B Sales: https://on.bcg.com/4dnWPOrHow AI Can Reshape Distributed Sales Channels in Emerging Markets: https://on.bcg.com/4tSL0puBCG’s Latest Thinking on Marketing and Sales: https://on.bcg.com/4utKWMJImagine This... on the future of sales: https://lnk.to/imagine-this-Andersen-sales09Chapters The End of Superstar Salespeople? Is AI Moving Into the Sales Frontline? Is This Shift Across the Board? What Happens to Top Sales Performers? Where AI Still Falls Short in Sales Why Talent Is Choosing AI-First Companies What Augmented Selling Looks Like Real-Time AI Sales Assistant Demo The ROI of AI in Sales What Sellers Gain (and Fear Losing) How Performance Is Measured Misconceptions Leaders Have About Using AI In Sales Will Customer Relationships Suffer? When You Should NOT Use AI What Great AI Sales Looks Like Is There an AI Blueprint to Follow for Sales? What Will the Future Look Like in AI Sales? Next Steps for LeadersThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
- 3 weeks ago22 min
What’s Keeping CEOs Up at Night?
BCG CEO Insomnia Index–Understanding CEO Pressure: More than 70% of CEOs are under chronic stress—but the real sources might surprise you.Drawing on BCG’s CEO Insomnia Index, Judith Wallenstein and Christine Barton unpack what’s driving the pressure, why it’s coming from closer than expected, and how it’s starting to impact decision-making at the top. While performance, growth, and cost pressures remain constant, the real weight is coming from much closer to home: boards, leadership teams, and employees.You’ll learn:The surprising stakeholders creating the most pressureHow stress narrows creativity, judgment, and strategic thinkingWhy the CEO role is becoming more isolatingWhat leaders can do to manage energy, time, and expectations more effectivelyLearn More:Christine Barton: https://on.bcg.com/4twIHs8Judith Wallenstein: https://on.bcg.com/4vCcMrrThe BCG CEO Insomnia Index: https://on.bcg.com/492jygqWhat Boards Expect of CEO Candidates: https://on.bcg.com/48hfzwdThe CEO’s Guide to Bolder Bets and Fewer Regrets: https://youtu.be/bbhZl3WRYdo?si=OQ1g_pgHtNXpPUUkBCG’s Latest Insights for CEOs: https://on.bcg.com/3QQrlaSWho Wants to Be a CEO: https://lnk.to/so-what-Barton-CEOs09Chapters Why CEO Stress Is Spiking What Stress Does to Performance What Factors Are Driving Stress Why Companies Are Impacted Differently Develop Your C-Suite for Higher Performance Why Being CEO Feels Lonely The Problem with Feedback at the Top Rising Expectations from Employees The CFO Dynamic Explained How CEOs Navigate the Board How Should CEOs Spend Their TimeThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
- Apr 8, 202625 min
Leading Through Scarcity: Purpose Over Panic
CEO lessons for navigating constant change: When resources are tight and uncertainty is high, what keeps organizations moving forward? New Jersey Performing Art Center CEO John Schreiber and BCG’s Rishi Varma share how purpose-led strategy, prioritization, and the right partnerships drive growth. Clear, actionable plans grounded in mission give leaders a north star, helping them stay focused and make hard calls with confidence. Learn More John Schreiber, President and CEO, New Jersey Performing Arts Center https://www.njpac.org/about/our-people/ Rishi Varma, Managing Director & Senior Partner, BCG https://www.bcg.com/about/people/experts/rishi-varmaWhen Strategy Follows Purpose: The Art of Revival, https://www.bcg.com/publications/2025/when-strategy-follows-purpose-art-of-revivalBCG's CEO Agenda, https://www.bcg.com/executives/ceo-agenda/insightsChapters00:00 Intro 00:57 The role of NJPAC 02:33 Why did the organization need to reshape? 05:47 How BCG partnered with NJPAC 07:52 Leading change in a legacy organization 11:16 CEO lessons for navigating constant change 13:28 Building resilience without abundant resources 14:25 How do leaders lead with less? 15:42 When does expanding mission become overreach? 17:36 What should leaders consider before expanding beyond the core? 18:44 How do you build coalitions that unlock real value? 19:54 What impact are you most proud of beyond Newark? 21:23 How do you think about legacy and long-term impact? 23:06 What stands out from disruption and change? 24:45 Outro Subscribe to BCG’s YouTube channel: https://goo.gl/hsFsVT Visit us at https://www.bcg.comThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
- Mar 25, 202622 min
How Asia Is Rising as an AI Superpower
AI innovation no longer flows in one direction. Jeff Walters, who leads the AI topic in Asia Pacific, explains why companies across China, India, and Southeast Asia are moving at speed—and in some cases pulling ahead. For CEOs, the real differentiator isn’t geography. It’s leadership ambition, organizational change, and the willingness to rethink knowledge work from the ground up.Learn more: Jeff Walters, Managing Director & Senior Partner, https://www.bcg.com/about/people/experts/jeff-waltersAI at Work: Is Asia Pacific Leading the Way? https://www.bcg.com/publications/2025/ai-at-work-is-asia-pacific-leading-the-wayThe Widening AI Value Gap, https://www.bcg.com/publications/2025/are-you-generating-value-from-ai-the-widening-gapLatest Thinking on AI, https://www.bcg.com/capabilities/artificial-intelligence/insightsChapters:00:00 Introduction00:59 AI Evolution Across Asia03:15 Factors Driving AI Adoption in Asia04:20 How Do AI Attitudes Differ Globally?06:00 CEOs’ Priorities to Unlock Value from AI08:45 Asia’s AI Role vs. Silicon Valley10:03 Information Asymmetry in AI: East vs. West10:58 What to Learn from Asia’s AI Ecosystems11:49 Which Asian Sectors Are Deploying AI Fastest?13:36 What Are Dark Factories–and Why Do They Matter?14:04 Who Will Lead AI Transformation over the Next Decade?15:35 Why Is AI Adoption Slower in Some Asia Pacific Markets?16:26 Asia Pacific Innovation by Region17:30 Which Sectors Lead AI Transformation?19:52 What Steps Should Leaders Take to Accelerate AI Impact?21:47 The "Now What"22:35 Outro (edited)Subscribe to BCG’s YouTube channel: https://goo.gl/hsFsVT Visit us at https://www.bcg.comThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
- Mar 10, 202618 min
AI Profit, Not Pilots: Lessons from Tech, Media and Telecom
AI is no longer a technology experiment—it’s a business imperative. Val Elbert, a member of BCG’s Technology, Media & Telecommunications practice, explains why CEOs must shift from AI pilots to profit, demand quarterly results from all AI initiatives, and lead cross-functional AI transformations that deliver real bottom-line impact. The winners will scale fast. The rest will be left explaining themselves to investors. Learn More Val Elbert, BCG Managing Director and Senior Partner, https://www.bcg.com/about/people/experts/val-elbert As AI Investments Surge, CEOs Take the Lead, https://www.bcg.com/publications/2026/as-ai-investments-surge-ceos-take-the-lead Turning AI Disruption into a Telco's Growth Engine, https://www.bcg.com/publications/2026/turning-ai-disruption-into-telcos-growth-engine Driving Growth and Innovation at Verizon Consumer Group, https://www.bcg.com/publications/2025/driving-growth-innovation-leading-telcoChapters00:00 Introduction 00:44 Where TMT companies stand on AI adoption02:32 The boardroom shift from AI pilots to scale03:11 Building AI into business agendas03:49 AI adoption patterns across industries 04:37 Leaders need to see quarterly results05:22 Why AI can't run as a three-year program05:59 What separates AI winners07:22 Why structure needs to change07:52 Where friction blocks AI value creation09:19 How to focus amid technology noise10:00 The mindset shift to move from AI pilots to P&L10:30 What scaling AI in telecom looks like12:08 The role of humans in an AI-driven operating model13:28 What the next 18 months will look like13:55 Will AI drive mergers?15:10 Is It harder for legacy companies to compete in AI?15:36 How AI-driven change will impact consumers16:44 If you're stuck in the pilot phase17:45 Physical AI at MWC Barcelona18:11 OutroSubscribe to BCG’s YouTube channel: https://goo.gl/hsFsVT Visit us at https://www.bcg.comThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
- Feb 25, 202621 min
High-Performing Leadership Teams Are Built, Not Bought
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-show32Learn More:Judith Wallenstein, Managing Director & Senior Partner, Global Lead, CEO Advisoryhttps://www.bcg.com/about/people/experts/judith-wallensteinKhadija Ben Hammada, Member of the Executive Board and Chief People Officer for Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germanyhttps://www.emdgroup.com/en/company/management/executive-board/khadija-ben-hammada.htmlSubscribe to BCG’s YouTube channel: https://goo.gl/hsFsVTVisit us at https://www.bcg.comChapters Intro How do you build a high-performing leadership team? What makes a team work? What does a high-performing team feel like? How much of team success depends on the CEO’s behavior and decisions? When hiring, what are you looking for — what’s the secret sauce? What should the CEO–Chief People Officer relationship look like? What did you learn as chief of staff that you apply on an executive team? How do team members to elevate collective performance? How should leadership adapt in an era of uncertainty? How do you keep a team successful when key people move on? What's steps should leaders take now to create a top-performing team? OutroThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
- Feb 11, 202624 min
Whatever Happened to the Energy Transition?
The global energy transition is growing in complexity with shifting economics, soaring electricity demand, and competing national priorities. Maurice Berns 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:Maurice Berns, Chair, BCG Center for Energy Impact https://www.bcg.com/about/people/experts/maurice-bernsAsheesh Sastry, Managing Director & Senior Partner https://www.bcg.com/about/people/experts/asheesh-sastryThe Energy Transition’s Next Chapter https://www.bcg.com/publications/2025/global-energy-landscape-next-chapterBCG Center for Energy Impact https://www.bcg.com/industries/energy/center-for-energy-impact/defaultAbout the Energy Transition https://www.bcg.com/industries/energy/energy-transitionThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
- Jan 28, 202623 min
Special Episode: Davos Wrap-up
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 This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
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About The So What from BCG
This podcast from Boston Consulting Group looks around the corner of today’s big business and social issues. The goal–the so what–is to make sense of today and prepare busy leaders and executives for the day after tomorrow. Award-winning British journalist Georgie Frost interviews the leading thinkers and doers at BCG on the trends, developments, and ideas that will shape and disrupt the future. This is not your typical business strategy podcast.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
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