Best of LinkedIn: Strategy & Consulting CW 08/ 09

Human skills were repeatedly positioned as a differentiator as AI reshapes the consulting toolkit, with a warning against over-reliance on AI that dilutes original thinking

Multi-generational teaming was framed as a performance advantage, combining experience with fresh perspectives

Empathy and genuine connection were positioned as practical leadership capabilities that strengthen customer loyalty and long-term value

Ownership and accountability were framed as the decisive factors in AI integration into operations, even when technology is available

AI governance was repeatedly connected to corporate strategy, risk mitigation, and revenue growth, shifting it from a compliance topic to a leadership agenda

ERM was described as evolving into an enterprise operating model, integrating risk across business priorities rather than treating it as a separate control function

Enterprise Architecture was positioned as an enterprise-level decision discipline, prioritizing choices for the whole organization rather than optimizing individual units

Outcome-based pricing was highlighted as underused in consulting, despite its potential to align incentives and sharpen value focus for both providers and buyers

Leadership AI literacy was framed as a prerequisite for credible adoption decisions and organizational scaling

Several posts reinforced that execution gaps are typically rooted in prioritization and organizational complexity, not in missing ideas

“Resilience” emerged as the dominant leadership frame, including via reflections tied to the Munich Security Conference and the broadening definition of defense beyond purely military topics

Europe’s geopolitical role was positioned as a direct driver of corporate strategy and executive decision-making

Workforce mobility, upskilling, and productivity were stressed as strategic imperatives in the UK context, with skills training also linked to AI-driven productivity potential

Supply chains were framed as evolving through 2026 under persistent geopolitical and economic risk, with disruption readiness becoming a core strategy requirement

Sustainability was repeatedly positioned as requiring integration into everyday decisions and business strategy, enabled through collaboration

The food industry was described as facing a large-scale structural shift that will require strategic collaboration and innovation

Germany’s competitiveness narrative emphasized high-tech innovation and adaptive leadership as strategic necessities

A PwC Germany round table in Nuremberg discussed how SMEs and startups can enter the defense sector, reflecting rising interest in defense-adjacent growth paths

BCG announced a strategic partnership with ElevenLabs to bring human-centered, agentic voice capabilities into customer experience, aiming to improve engagement, service efficiency, and personalization

BCG and OpenAI expanded their partnership (via the Frontier Alliance) to help organizations accelerate enterprise-scale AI transformations and move beyond experimentation toward scaled impact

AI transformation was repeatedly framed as an ecosystem play, requiring orchestration across technology, operations, and partners to sustain outcomes

A new AI tool was presented to diagnose and improve Finance functions, positioned as a practical lever to assess performance gaps and drive targeted improvements

PwC highlighted FRTR AI to improve spreadsheet reasoning accuracy and efficiency in enterprise workflows

PwC also introduced an AI agent designed to analyze complex enterprise spreadsheets to support faster, higher-quality decision-making

Deloitte promoted an Enterprise AI Navigator to integrate AI strategy across the enterprise and translate ambition into measurable value

ERP was positioned as a major integration point for AI, with risk management improvements depending less on tooling and more on leadership alignment and cross-functional collaboration

Multiple posts stressed that “AI-first” framing is often counterproductive, with better outcomes coming from disciplined problem definition and fit-for-purpose AI application

Governance was emphasized as an accelerator rather than a blocker, enabling faster scaling by reducing risk, ambiguity, and rework

Portfolio discipline appeared as a recurring management pattern, including for AI initiatives and for commercial portfolios in sectors like FMCG

Banks were urged to address climate risks proactively to avoid penalties and protect value

Banking transformation was positioned as requiring fundamental change, not cosmetic digital enhancements, to materially improve customer outcomes

Swiss financial services were portrayed as reshaping through M&A, partnerships, and digital innovation

Payment preference shifts were flagged as a direct challenge to traditional professional services business models, requiring commercial and delivery model adaptation

Banking risk management was framed as expanding with AI adoption, requiring governance and control frameworks across multiple risk categories

The end of the original BEPS Pillar One was noted as a meaningful development in digital taxation discussions

A 2026 US GDP growth projection (2.4%) was shared alongside uncertainty drivers, reinforcing the need for risk-aware planning

The software stock sell-off was interpreted as reflecting deeper concerns about AI narratives, growth durability, and business model resilience

CSOs were framed as needing to lead corporate reinvention as AI becomes a board-level strategic priority

Scaling agentic AI was positioned as an executive responsibility, with impact depending on coordinated leadership decisions rather than isolated pilots