When McKinsey Comes to Town

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

By: Walt Bogdanich, Michael Forsythe

Narrated by: Ari Fliakos

Length: 10 hrs and 6 mins

Publisher's summary

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

seems incomplete

at some point, in the end, the author mentions that mckinsey has done a lot of good things, but cités ni examples, it would have been more balanced to cite some so at least one can compare their full record. no?

They why behind many things you hate

Excellent presentation of logical steps that are behind many things we seem to complain about in everyday life or wonder why/ how did it get to be like this.

It’s always “follow the money”, but the book provides very insightful context.

Be prepared.

This book is extremely well written and highly informative. The authors do a great job of conveying a lot of information in an engaging way that keeps your interest. It reads like a suspense novel about corporate greed, but frightening as you realize it's not fiction.
My warning is that you need to be in a calm state when beginning this book, otherwise the facts they recount can be disturbing. Especially if you, or someone you know, has recently been the victim of downsizing.

Outfucking standing

Worth the 10 hour listen, It will get u mad as hell if you aren’t a millionaire.

One of the most significant books of our age

This is a must read for everyone in a decision making position, especially in governance.

How McKinsey still bags as many government contracts across the globe speaks to how broken capitalism is.

McKinsey has had a hand in many of the most egregious outcomes of capitalistic endeavors. Their schtick as becomes clear in this chronicle is either deny or half-heartedly apologize after the fact.

This book is an amazing piece of irrepressible investigative journalism. I’m stunned the authors were able to uncover so much

The tail that wags the dog

Jen B.
I saw the hard copy of this book in an airport during a work trip, took a picture and downloaded to listen while working out. Never had better workouts!! Insightful, frightening, real and inspiring. Kudos to the authors for their bravery.

Couldn’t put this down!

Great book, and topic. So well written, I could barely put it down. This book gives you a lot to think about.

Fascinating

Interesting and revelatory. All is presented as fact although much would be difficult to confirm. Thought provoking at the least!

Transparent and rage inducing

This book further reveals the corruption behind this company. I had to put this book down from time to time because of how enraging the practices of this firm are. Every chapter was another example of their commitment to revenue over safety, the customer, or even integrity. I knew of their role in the opioid crisis from Empire of Pain (another amazing book) and their philosophy to cut jobs to increase executive bonuses but this book gave me an even greater appreciation of their global impact. It also has me seeing the Harvard Business Review in a new light.

Enlightening

Unbelievable reveal of the negative impact of McKinsey on the world and on people in general. Greed by the company and their clients is unfortunately not a surprise.