McKinsey innovation leader Erik Roth speaks with Jelena Joffe Weil, the founder and worldwide leader of the Venture Innovation program at Amazon Web Services, Amazon’s cloud computing arm, about how AWS works to close the gap between innovation and go-to-market for start-ups and large enterprises. The global hyperscaler is known for helping businesses grow and scale rapidly, but it also helps start-ups and established enterprises find each other to engage in open, or collaborative, innovation.

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McKinsey innovation leader <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/erik-roth">Erik Roth</a> speaks with <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jelena-joffe-weil-8456242a/">Jelena Joffe Weil</a>, the founder and worldwide leader of the Venture Innovation program at <a href="https://aws.amazon.com/">Amazon Web Services</a>, Amazon&rsquo;s cloud computing arm, about how AWS works to close the gap between innovation and go-to-market for start-ups and large enterprises. The global hyperscaler is known for helping businesses grow and scale rapidly, but it also helps start-ups and established enterprises find each other to engage in open, or collaborative, innovation.
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<a href="markethttps://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/filling-the-gap-between-innovation-and-go-to-market">Filling the gap between innovation and go to market</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/driving-innovation-with-generative-ai">Driving innovation with generative AI</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/taking-fear-out-of-innovation">Taking fear out of innovation</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/how-to-take-the-measure-of-innovation">How to take the measure of innovation</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/fielding-high-performing-innovation-teams">Fielding high-performing innovation teams</a>
&nbsp;

We talk with McKinsey partners and corporate executives on the challenges they face creating lasting strategies in a fast-changing world. We also examine the different ways these executives approach these challenges and the new and innovative ways they think of creating a vision for their enterprises.

What does it take to survive in a world of constant change? More than ever, enterprises need to create strategies that can meet current needs but also adapt to future demand. A regular series of interviews with McKinsey partners and corporate executives.

Inside the Strategy Room

We all know the world is moving faster. We also know that as upheaval becomes the norm, vast business opportunities will be within the grasp of the extraordinary few.  But it takes bold people and courageous approaches to seize those opportunities and create value.

In each episode of our weekly podcast, we sit down with the world’s highest-performing CEOs, CFOs, innovators, and McKinsey experts and discuss how they build the courage, clarity, conviction, and cohesion that allows their businesses to win by moving faster than the world around them. 

We all know the world is moving faster. We also know that as upheaval becomes the norm, vast business opportunities will be within the grasp of the extraordinary few.  But it takes bold people and courageous approaches to seize those opportunities and create value.
In each episode of our weekly podcast, we sit down with the world’s highest-performing CEOs, CFOs, innovators, and McKinsey experts and discuss how they build the courage, clarity, conviction, and cohesion that allows their businesses to win by moving faster than the world around them.

244. Filling the gap between innovation and go-to-market, with AWS’s Jelena Joffe 

In this episode, Michèle Flournoy joins Andy West to share her perspectives on how companies can build their geopolitical resilience. Michèle is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of WestExec Advisors, a strategic advisory firm that helps CEOs and investors navigate geopolitical risks and opportunities. She served the US government as Under Secretary of Defense for Policy from February 2009 to 2012 and was the principal advisor to the Secretary of Defense.  In January 2007, Michèle co-founded the Center for a New American Security – a bipartisan think tank dedicated to developing strong, pragmatic, and principled national security policies. She served as its President until 2009, returned as CEO in 2014, and today serves as the Chair. Andy West is a senior partner and the global coleader of our Strategy and Corporate Finance Practice. Comments and opinions expressed by interviewees are their own and do not represent or reflect the opinions, policies, or positions of McKinsey & Company or have its endorsement.

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In this episode, <a href="https://www.westexec.com/michele-flournoy/">Mich&egrave;le Flournoy</a> joins <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/andy-west">Andy West</a> to share her perspectives on how companies can build their geopolitical resilience. Mich&egrave;le is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of <a href="https://www.westexec.com/">WestExec Advisors</a>, a strategic advisory firm that helps CEOs and investors navigate geopolitical risks and opportunities. She served the US government as Under Secretary of Defense for Policy from February 2009 to 2012 and was the principal advisor to the Secretary of Defense. &nbsp;In January 2007, Mich&egrave;le co-founded the Center for a New American Security &ndash; a bipartisan think tank dedicated to developing strong, pragmatic, and principled national security policies. She served as its President until 2009, returned as CEO in 2014, and today serves as the Chair. Andy West is a senior partner and the global coleader of our Strategy and Corporate Finance Practice. Comments and opinions expressed by interviewees are their own and do not represent or reflect the opinions, policies, or positions of McKinsey &amp; Company or have its endorsement.
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<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/geopolitics/our-insights/navigating-tariffs-with-a-geopolitical-nerve-center">Navigating tariffs with a geopolitical nerve center</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/geopolitics/our-insights/tariffs-on-the-move-a-guide-for-ceos-for-2025-and-beyond">Tariffs on the move? A guide for CEOs for 2025 and beyond</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/public-sector/our-insights/how-american-business-can-prosper-in-the-new-geopolitical-era">How American business can prosper in the new geopolitical era.</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/geopolitics/our-insights">Insights from McKinsey and Company&rsquo;s Geopolitics Practice</a>

250. Building geopolitical resilience: A conversation with Michèle Flournoy

David Gitlin is Chairman and CEO of Carrier Global Corporation, a global leader in intelligent climate and energy solutions. With prior senior leadership roles in aerospace and manufacturing and extensive expertise across safety and operational excellence, David led the much-lauded 2020 Carrier spin-off from United Technologies—as the world grappled with the COVID-19 pandemic. In this episode, McKinsey senior partner and North America Chair, Eric Kutcher, talks with David about his journey as a CEO during a crisis, and explores his insights on rallying leadership, the board, and 50,000 employees across 160 countries to excel in their roles. 

This podcast was recorded on March 31, 2025.

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CEO Perspectives

<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/david--gitlin/">David Gitlin</a> is Chairman and CEO of <a href="https://www.carrier.com/carrier/en/worldwide/">Carrier Global Corporation</a>, a global leader in intelligent climate and energy solutions. With prior senior leadership roles in aerospace and manufacturing and extensive expertise across safety and operational excellence, David led the much-lauded 2020 Carrier spin-off from United Technologies&mdash;as the world grappled with the COVID-19 pandemic. In this episode, McKinsey senior partner and North America Chair, <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/eric-kutcher">Eric Kutcher</a>, talks with David about his journey as a CEO during a crisis, and explores his insights on rallying leadership, the board, and 50,000 employees across 160 countries to excel in their roles.&nbsp;
This podcast was recorded on March 31, 2025. Related insights <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/how-judy-marks-leads-otis-worldwide-corporation-through-uncertainty-and-technological-evolution">How Judy Marks leads Otis Worldwide Corporation through uncertainty and technological evolution</a> <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/the-art-of-21st-century-leadership-from-succession-planning-to-building-a-leadership-factory">The art of 21st-century leadership: From succession planning to building a leadership factory</a> <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/mckinsey-on-books/author-talks-how-ibms-ginni-rometty-leads-with-good-power">Author Talks: IBM&rsquo;s Ginni Rometty on leading with &lsquo;good power&rsquo;</a> <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/growth-marketing-and-sales/our-insights/achieving-growth-putting-leadership-mindsets-and-behaviors-into-action">Getting fit for growth: The leadership mindsets and behaviors that matter</a> <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/how-we-help-clients/ceo-excellence#managing-personal-effectiveness">CEO Perspectives</a>

249. Becoming CEO, just in time for global crisis: David Gitlin, Chairman and CEO of Carrier Global Corporation

As geopolitical trends bring increased uncertainty and risk, CEOs and other business leaders can take action to get and stay ahead of it all. This week Sean speaks with three McKinsey experts on geopolitical risk about how organizations can build resilience to address continued global uncertainty.

Cindy Levy is a senior partner in our London office and the global co-leader of our Geopolitics Practice. She previously led our Global Risk and Resilience and our United Kingdom Financial Services Practices, and she works with financial institutions on strategy, corporate finance, enterprise risk management, and culture. Shubham Singhal is a senior partner in our Detroit office and co-leads our Geopolitics Practice with Cindy. He previously led our healthcare, public sector, and social sector practices, as well as our efforts to help clients respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. Olivia White is a senior partner in our Bay Area office and a director of the McKinsey Global Institute. She advises leading financial institutions and other global firms on a wide range of issues across strategy, growth, risk and resilience.

Related insights

How American business can prosper in the new geopolitical era

Navigating the new geopolitical uncertainty

Geopolitics and the geometry of global trade: 2025 update

Tariffs on the move? A guide for CEOs for 2025 and beyond

A proactive approach to navigating geopolitics is essential to thrive

Dependency and depopulation? Confronting the consequences of a new demographic reality

Can your company remain global and if so, how?

 

As geopolitical trends bring increased uncertainty and risk, CEOs and other business leaders can take action to get and stay ahead of it all. This week Sean speaks with three McKinsey experts on geopolitical risk about how organizations can build resilience to address continued global uncertainty.
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/cindy-levy">Cindy Levy</a> is a senior partner in our London office and the global co-leader of our <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/geopolitics/how-we-help-clients">Geopolitics Practice</a>. She previously led our Global Risk and Resilience and our United Kingdom Financial Services Practices, and she works with financial institutions on strategy, corporate finance, enterprise risk management, and culture. <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/shubham-singhal">Shubham Singhal</a> is a senior partner in our Detroit office and co-leads our Geopolitics Practice with Cindy. He previously led our healthcare, public sector, and social sector practices, as well as our efforts to help clients respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/our-people/olivia-white">Olivia White</a> is a senior partner in our Bay Area office and a director of the McKinsey Global Institute. She advises leading financial institutions and other global firms on a wide range of issues across strategy, growth, risk and resilience.
Related insights
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/public-sector/our-insights/how-american-business-can-prosper-in-the-new-geopolitical-era">How American business can prosper in the new geopolitical era</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/geopolitics/our-insights/navigating-the-new-geopolitical-uncertainty">Navigating the new geopolitical uncertainty</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/mgi/our-research/geopolitics-and-the-geometry-of-global-trade-2025-update">Geopolitics and the geometry of global trade: 2025 update</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/geopolitics/our-insights/tariffs-on-the-move-a-guide-for-ceos-for-2025-and-beyond">Tariffs on the move? A guide for CEOs for 2025 and beyond</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/geopolitics/our-insights/a-proactive-approach-to-navigating-geopolitics-is-essential-to-thrive">A proactive approach to navigating geopolitics is essential to thrive</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/mgi/our-research/dependency-and-depopulation-confronting-the-consequences-of-a-new-demographic-reality">Dependency and depopulation? Confronting the consequences of a new demographic reality</a>
<a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/can-your-company-remain-global-and-if-so-how">Can your company remain global and if so, how?</a>
&nbsp;

244. Filling the gap between innovation and go-to-market, with AWS’s Jelena Joffe

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