Richard Lesser reflects on leading BCG through a decade of disruption that saw the firm triple revenues while expanding into digital, advanced analytics and AI.​

He shares why CEOs must balance short-term earnings with long-term vitality, why engagement with governments has shifted from optional to essential, and why complacency is the real threat in an era defined by generative AI, geopolitical tension and declining institutional trust. For Rich, the defining leadership advantage was not prior expertise, but the capacity to learn faster than the world was changing.​

In this episode, Rich also discusses:​

1. How BCG invested early in digital and AI before the generative AI inflection point​
2. The firm’s expansion into climate and sustainability advisory​
3. The rapid scaling of private capital into a multibillion-dollar platform​
4. What the Edelman Trust Barometer signals for CEOs​
5. Whether consulting remains relevant in the age of AI

Chapter Markers:

00:00:00 – The Leadership Lesson He Didn’t See Coming​

00:00:50 – Richard Lesser’s 40-Year BCG Journey​

00:01:57 – Leading in an Age of Disruption: What’s Changed​

00:03:03 – Balancing Short-Term Performance and Long-Term Vitality​

00:04:13 – Why CEOs Must Become Learners, Not Just Experts​

00:05:00 – The CEO as Statesman: Trust, Government and Polarisation​

00:07:26 – Scaling BCG: Digital, AI and Strategic Inflection Points​

00:09:32 – Climate, Sustainability and Private Capital Expansion​

00:11:26 – Stepping Into the CEO Role: Responsibility and TeamBuilding​

00:14:27 – Building Trust Through Authentic Leadership​

00:16:56 – AI, Generative Tools and the Future of Consulting​

00:21:15 – Energy, Sleep and Self-Awareness at the Top​

00:26:21 – Three Career Lessons for the Next Generation

In this episode of Business & Beyond, Sanjay Chari sits down with Rich Lesser, Global Chairman of BCG and former CEO, immediately following a week at the World Economic Forum in Davos.​

Rich reflects on why this year felt fundamentally different, describing it as “a tale of four Davos” - four conversations unfolding at once. Leaders were debating the global economic outlook with cautious optimism, shifting the AI discussion from hype to value at scale, grappling with rising geopolitical tension, and continuing quieter but determined work on climate and sustainability.​

The conversation explores what a difficult decade has taught business leaders about resilience, how AI is moving from experimentation to real-world impact, what growing geopolitical fragmentation means for companies operating globally, and why climate action is increasingly driven by business fundamentals rather than public rhetoric.

Chapter markers

1. 00:00 Welcome & reflections after Davos​
2. 01:18 A tale of four Davos explained​
3. 04:20 Davos on the ground: the economic outlook​
4. 06:42 Global perspectives​
5. 08:48 How institutions and businesses build resilience​
6. 14:44 Davos in the cloud: AI moves from hype to value​
7. 19:43 Why CEOs are taking ownership of AI​
8. 22:44 Managing risks as the AI agenda scales
9. 25:21 Davos to the north: geopolitics & trade tensions​
10. 30:59 Navigating uncertainty in a fragmented world​
11. 34:32 Davos underground: climate beyond the headlines​
12. 36:57 The green economy as a growth opportunity​
13. 44:02 Final reflections: optimism in a decade of change

Resources:

1. Read Rich's article on A Tale of Four Davos here: https://on.bcg.com/4ryqZD8
2. The Widening AI Value Gap: https://www.bcg.com/publications/2025/are-you-generating-value-from-ai-the-widening-gap
3. AI Radar: https://www.bcg.com/publications/2026/as-ai-investments-surge-ceos-take-the-lead

In this episode of Business & Beyond, Sanjay Chari speaks with John Gualtieri, Managing Director of Officeworks Australia, about leadership, authenticity, and navigating change at scale.​

John shares reflections from a long career in retail, from his early days on the shop floor to leading major transformations. He shares lessons shaped over time — often learned by getting things wrong first — and how those experiences influenced the way he leads today.​

The conversation explores ​

1. why simplifying choices builds trust​
2. the importance of genuinely listening to frontline teams and acting on what you hear​
3. how leaders can stay effective even when they don’t have all the answers​

A thoughtful discussion on leadership shaped by experience, and what really matters over the long run.​

BCG maintains a professional relationship with the company represented by this episode’s guest.​

​Chapters:

00:00 Why diversity of thought really matters​

00:26 Introducing John Gualtieri​

01:00 Growing up, family, and early influences​

04:31 First steps into retail​

06:46 Early leadership roles and career choices​

11:56 Joining Kmart and the journey of transformation​

14:23 Simplifying complexity to rebuild customer trust​

19:13 Big decisions and the Kmart turnaround​

20:05 Leadership lessons: the power of listening ​

26:43 Throwing out the script during COVID​

28:31 Leading Officeworks today​

30:08 The pace of change in modern retail​

32:58 Future opportunities: Tech, B2B​

37:36 Purpose beyond profit​

39:03 Staying grounded as a leader