TUM Speakers Series x McKinsey with Sven Smit

About Sven:
Sven Smit is a Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company and Chairman of the McKinsey Global Institute (MGI), McKinsey’s business and economics research arm. As a member of McKinsey’s global leadership team, he oversees the firm’s insights and ecosystems globally. Previously, he led McKinsey’s work in Western Europe and headed the global Strategy & Corporate Finance Practice.

He leads MGI’s research on global economic trends, including productivity and growth, urbanization, innovation and technology, labor markets and the future of work, emerging markets, and Europe’s economic outlook. Recent MGI reports he co-authored include Out of Balance: What’s Next for Growth, Wealth, and Debt?, The Great Trade Rearrangement, and The Power of One: How Standout Firms Grow National Productivity, among others.

With more than 35 years at McKinsey, Sven has advised leading companies across industries on strategies for growth. His work focuses on understanding the success factors behind business expansion, how megatrends shape economic performance, and what lessons diversified companies can offer. He is also the co-author of two books — Strategy Beyond the Hockey Stick (2018) and The Granularity of Growth (2008) — and a frequent speaker at international conferences.

Sven holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Delft University of Technology and an MBA from INSEAD.

About the Event:
Throughout history, disruptive moments have occurred like earthquakes — powerful shifts that release the tensions built up beneath the surface of our global systems. Some of these turning points have marked the beginning of a new era, reshaping the world’s economic and social foundations.

Today, we may be entering another such era, defined by geopolitical realignment, technological acceleration, demographic shifts and the race towards sustainability. However, this moment is different: the world today is far more globally interconnected, financially leveraged and constrained by carbon emissions than ever before. In his keynote speech, Sven Smit will explore what this transformation could mean for the decades ahead.

Afterwards, the moderated dialogue will take a more personal turn, reflecting on Sven's 35+ years at McKinsey, his views on the evolution of the firm and the consulting industry, and the human side of leadership in times of change.

About McKinsey & Company and McKinsey Global Institute:

McKinsey & Company is a global strategy and management consulting firm that advises corporations, governments, and organizations worldwide. Founded in 1926, McKinsey operates as a single global partnership united by a drive to create positive, enduring change. Today, more than 43,000 colleagues across 130+ offices in over 70 countries work together to help clients achieve lasting impact.

The McKinsey Global Institute (MGI), established in 1990, is McKinsey’s independent economic and business research arm. Its mission is to provide a fact base to aid decision-making on the economic and business issues most critical to the world’s companies and policy leaders. MGI’s research spans five key themes — Productivity & Prosperity, Resources of the World, Human Potential, Global Connections, and Technology & Markets of the Future.

About TUM Speakers Series:
The TUM Speakers Series is one of Europe’s leading student-run platforms for dialogue between business, politics, and society. Its mission is to provide a platform for exchange between the leaders of today and tomorrow. Since 1999, we have hosted more than 160 events with over 100,000 attendees, welcoming world leaders such as Bill Gates, Kofi Annan, Sam Altman, and Tony Blair.

Stay Connected
Follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn for updates!

https://www.instagram.com/tumspeakersseries/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/tum-speakers-series/