McKinsey Greater China

From spikes in pork prices to bankrupt retailers, 2013 could turn out to be a very interesting year in China. From spikes in pork prices to bankrupt retailers to international investment in Chinese soccer, 2013 could turn out to be a very interesting year for China. In this podcast, Nick Leung chats with Gordon Orr about his predictions for China in the coming year. Gordon is McKinsey’s Chairman for Asia. He’s joined by Yougang Chen, head of the McKinsey Global Institute in China. Nick is Managing Partner of McKinsey’s Greater China practice.

Flush with cash, China’s rich are seeking ways to preserve as well as expand their wealth. China’s economic boom has spawned a new class of wealthy individuals. Flush with cash, China’s rich are seeking ways to preserve as well as expand their wealth. In this podcast, Nick Leung speaks with Emmanuel Pitsilis, Kenny Lam, and Jared Shu about a new survey they published that sheds light on what China’s wealthy are looking for when they shop for private banking services. Emmanuel and Kenny are Partners in Hong Kong, where Jared is an Associate Partner. Nick is Managing Partner of McKinsey’s Greater China practice.

How should China’s new leadership tackle the country’s economic challenges? The 18th Party Congress is over and a new line-up of Chinese leaders is firmly in place. At the top of their agenda: steering one of the largest and fastest-growing economies in the world. What key policy challenges do China’s leaders face, and what kinds of tools do they have at their disposal to keep the engine of economic growth humming? In this podcast, we’ve invited a special guest to join us for a conversation on this topic. Jerry Lou is Chief Strategy Officer for Morgan Stanley Huaxin Securities in Shanghai. He joins Gordon Orr, Asia Chairman for McKinsey, and Guangyu Li, a Partner in Shanghai. Nick Leung is Managing Partner of McKinsey’s Greater China practice.

Most Chinese consumers are happy enough if the products they buy do what they promise: keep their clothes clean or quench their thirst, for example. But there’s a new class of younger, wealthier, and more sophisticated mainstream consumers that are seeking more intangible, often emotional benefits from their purchases. These new mainstream consumers are spurring companies to rethink their strategies. In this podcast, Nick Leung speaks with Max Magni and Yougang Chen about the results of a recent survey they conducted of Chinese consumers. Max and Yougang are Partners in Shanghai. Nick is Managing Partner of McKinsey’s Greater China practice.

The Chinese government has ambitious plans to raise the level of private sector involvement in the healthcare system. Private hospitals are sprouting up around the country. What can healthcare providers do to tap into this emerging opportunity? Nick Leung, Managing Partner of McKinsey’s Greater China Practice, discussed this topic with Claudia Suessmuth Dyckerhoff and Alex Ng. Claudia is a director in Shanghai and Alex is an associate partner in Hong Kong.

China wants to build global brands. Today, though, one would be hard pressed to name more than a handful of Chinese brands that have established a presence outside of China. So what are Chinese companies doing to address this issue, and how far along are they on their quest to build global brands? Nick Leung, Managing Partner of McKinsey’s Greater China Practice, discussed this issue with Daniel Zipser and Hai Ye. Daniel is a Partner in McKinsey’s Shanghai office. Hai is an Associate Partner in Hong Kong.

Not so long ago, solar was really hot in China. Today, overcapacity and weak demand have pushed prices and profits down. What will it take for China’s solar industry to pull out of its slump? In this podcast, Bill Wiseman and David Xu join Nick Leung for a heated discussion of this topic. Bill is a Partner in Taipei and David is a Director in Shanghai. Nick is Managing Partner of McKinsey’s Greater China practice.

While the government’s healthcare reform program is well underway, much work remains to be done before China can achieve its aspiration of providing quality and affordable healthcare to its people. This is creating a host of new opportunities as well as challenges for companies trying to plan their next move in China. Nick Leung, Managing Partner of McKinsey’s Greater China Practice, discussed this topic with three of the authors of a new report on healthcare in China, Franck Le Deu, Jin Wang, and Gaobo Zhou. Franck and Jin are Partners in McKinsey’s Shanghai office. Gaobo is an Associate Partner in Hong Kong.

Chinese companies have lately been on the prowl for acquisition targets around the world. A few high profile deals have been announced recently. But is the trickle about to turn into a flood, and are Chinese companies able to extract value from their purchases? Nick Leung, Managing Partner of McKinsey’s Greater China Practice, discussed this topic with Thomas Luedi and Kevin Wei Wang. They’re Partners in McKinsey’s Shanghai office.

China’s private equity sector is the largest in Asia, and is increasingly seen as a source of growth in an otherwise challenging global market. But as China’s cooling economy makes it harder to find attractive deals, and as the IPO market dries up, private equity players are shifting their attention from sourcing deals to managing their portfolios more actively. Nick Leung, Managing Partner of McKinsey’s Greater China Practice, discussed this issue with Bruno Roy and Joe Ngai. They’re Partners in McKinsey’s Private Equity Practice in China.

The Chinese government’s recent interest rate cut has triggered a fresh round of speculation around the state of the economy. Some observers are debating whether China needs another round of stimulus measures, and if so, which ones would have the biggest impact. Nick Leung, Managing Partner of McKinsey’s Greater China Practice, discussed this topic with David Cogman and Jonathan Woetzel. Their Partners in McKinsey’s Shanghai office.

China’s state-owned enterprises have undergone a dramatic transformation over the past decade. While their share of economic output has declined, their influence has not. In fact, in several of China’s most strategic sectors, state-run firms are sharpening their management skills and transforming their operations so they can compete globally. Nick Leung, Managing Partner of McKinsey’s Greater China Practice, discussed this topic with David Xu, Michael Wang and Kevin Chan. They’re Partners in McKinsey’s Shanghai office.

The Chinese government recently announced a number of stimulus measures intended to shore up the economy, which is starting to show signs of cooling. So how should companies react?

Fast-growing Chinese companies have been grappling with an issue for a number of years now: how to find and retain qualified management talent. While women in China have a very high participation rate in the workforce, they’re noticeably absent from senior management ranks. Nick Leung, Managing Partner of McKinsey’s Greater China Practice, discussed a forthcoming report on this topic with Claudia Suessmuth-Dyckerhoff and Jin Wang. They’re Partners in McKinsey’s Shanghai office.

China’s cities are getting big, but can they also be sustainable? The Urban China Initiative believes they can, as they highlight in their latest report, which assesses and ranks the sustainability of Chinese cities across four key dimensions. Nick Leung, Managing Partner of McKinsey’s Greater China Practice, discussed this report with Jonathan Woetzel and Guangyu Li. Jonathan is a Director in Shanghai and co-chairs the Urban China Initiative, a think-tank run by McKinsey, Tsinghua University, and Columbia University. Guangyu is a Partner in Shanghai.