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When McKinsey Comes to Town

The Hidden Influence of the World's Most Powerful Consulting Firm

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When McKinsey Comes to Town

Written by: Walt Bogdanich, Michael Forsythe
Narrated by: Ari Fliakos
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About this listen

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • An explosive, deeply reported exposé of McKinsey & Company, the international consulting firm that advises corporations and governments, that highlights the often drastic impact of its work on employees and citizens around the world

"Meticulously reported, and ultimately devastating, this is an important book."—Patrick Radden Keefe, New York Times bestselling author of Empire of Pain and Say Nothing

McKinsey & Company is the most prestigious consulting company in the world, earning billions of dollars in fees from major corporations and governments who turn to it to maximize their profits and enhance efficiency. McKinsey's vaunted statement of values asserts that its role is to make the world a better place, and its reputation for excellence and discretion attracts top talent from universities around the world. But what does it actually do?

In When McKinsey Comes to Town, two prizewinning investigative journalists have written a portrait of the company sharply at odds with its public image. Often McKinsey's advice boils down to major cost-cutting, including layoffs and maintenance reductions, to drive up short-term profits, thereby boosting a company's stock price and the wealth of its executives who hire it, at the expense of workers and safety measures. McKinsey collects millions of dollars advising government agencies that also regulate McKinsey's corporate clients. And the firm frequently advises competitors in the same industries, but denies that this presents any conflict of interest.

In one telling example, McKinsey advised a Chinese engineering company allied with the communist government which constructed artificial islands, now used as staging grounds for the Chinese Navy—while at the same time taking tens of millions of dollars from the Pentagon, whose chief aim is to counter Chinese aggression.

Shielded by NDAs, McKinsey has escaped public scrutiny despite its role in advising tobacco and vaping companies, purveyors of opioids, repressive governments, and oil companies. McKinsey helped insurance companies' boost their profits by making it incredibly difficult for accident victims to get payments; worked its U.S. government contacts to let Wall Street firms evade scrutiny; enabled corruption in developing countries such as South Africa; undermined health-care programs in states across the country. And much more.

Bogdanich and Forsythe have penetrated the veil of secrecy surrounding McKinsey by conducting hundreds of interviews, obtaining tens of thousands of revelatory documents, and following rule #1 of investigative reporting: Follow the money.

When McKinsey Comes to Town is a landmark work of investigative reporting that amounts to a devastating portrait of a firm whose work has often made the world more unequal, more corrupt, and more dangerous.

©2022 Walt Bogdanich and Michael Forsythe (P)2022 Random House Audio
Economics International Relations Management & Leadership Small Business & Entrepreneurship Business Corporate Employment Consulting
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Compelling

A compelling, often shocking, read about greed over riding ethics in McKinsey’s work around the globe. Left me feeling disappointed, and in some instances, disgusted at their arrogance and dishonesty.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Explores the roots of today’s income inequality conundrumExcellent, informative, well read book.

How much money does one need? A sad and disturbing commentary on greed with no solutions offered.

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Great book with incredible insider information

This is up there with one of my favourite books the Economic Hitman. Great ingots and well read. The only complaint I have is that I wish it was longer!

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Good premise but poor execution

The book is written by a guy who got screwed by McKinsey. He's understandably bitter but half the book is him throwing petty punches. I found myself rolling my eyes a lot. I agree with the premise that McKinsey is full of contradictions and conflicts of interests but it doesn't make this a good book.

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Thoughts on first 60 Minutes

Narrative has a strong political leaning and undertones. Wasn’t comfortable with the insights offered by the author as it could potentially be biased, so I stopped listening about one hour in.

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It was a collection of all the bad things

Some stories were justified, others not so. Didn’t find the overall book very balanced. Would not recommend

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