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Introduction: The Silent Hand Behind Global PowerFrom boardrooms on Wall Street to ministries in war-torn economies, one name quietly threads through the rise, fall, and reinvention of modern institutions: McKinsey & Company. In When McKinsey Comes to Town, investigative journalists Walt Bogdanich and Michael Forsythe peel back the curtain on the world’s most influential—and secretive—consulting firm. Often regarded as the brain behind governments, Fortune 500 CEOs, and global policy shifts, McKinsey is known for transforming companies with cold precision. But what happens when that power is wielded without public accountability?

This deeply reported exposé traces decades of McKinsey’s behind-the-scenes role in controversial decisions, from opioid marketing strategies to authoritarian government consulting. It’s not a critique of consulting—it’s a revelation of how strategy, when stripped of ethics, can fuel profit at the cost of people.

This isn’t a book about one bad actor. It’s about a system where influence is sold, decisions are anonymized, and responsibility disappears into PowerPoint slides.

Top 10 Lessons from When McKinsey Comes to Town
1. Influence Without Accountability is Dangerous
McKinsey’s greatest strength—operating behind closed doors—also makes it one of the least accountable forces in global business. Its advice often shapes billion-dollar outcomes, yet the firm sidesteps the consequences of those decisions.

2. Ethical Blind Spots Can Scale
The book uncovers how McKinsey’s data-driven detachment often led to strategies that prioritized efficiency and profitability—regardless of human impact. Ethics aren’t just optional in consulting—they’re essential guardrails.

3. Client-First Culture Can Go Too Far
McKinsey’s internal mantra of “serving the client’s best interest” sometimes meant doing whatever the client wanted—even when it involved mass layoffs, environmental damage, or regulatory gray areas.

4. Consulting Shapes Policy—Whether You See It or Not
From U.S. immigration enforcement to healthcare restructuring, McKinsey’s reach extended into areas that directly impacted citizens—without public debate or transparency.

5. Prestige Can Obscure Scrutiny
Because McKinsey works with elite institutions and hires top talent, its reputation often shields it from critical oversight. But prestige does not equal infallibility.

6. PowerPoint Can Be a Weapon
The book often highlights how McKinsey consultants turned difficult choices—such as cutting vital services—into polished presentations. This made it easier to hide harsh truths behind the term “strategy.”

7. Secrecy Breeds Systemic Risk
McKinsey’s practice of never disclosing its client list or the full extent of its advice created overlapping interests and conflicts—especially when advising both regulators and those being regulated.

8. The Opioid Crisis Wasn’t Just a Pharma Problem
One of the most damning sections reveals McKinsey’s advisory role in helping Purdue Pharma “turbocharge” OxyContin sales—even suggesting performance-based bonuses tied to overdoses.

9. Consultants Can Be Kings—Without Ever Being Seen
McKinsey doesn’t run for office, but it often advises those who do. It doesn’t manufacture products, but it designs the playbooks for those who do. This quiet power is both awe-inspiring and alarming.

10. Modern Businesses Require Transparency to Thrive
In today’s world, where people expect honesty, McKinsey’s experience is a cautionary tale. Keeping secrets and allowing unchecked power can lead to problems rather than benefits over time.

✅ Takeaway:
When McKinsey Comes to Town isn’t just about one firm—it’s a cautionary tale of how power without transparency can shape economies, industries, and lives in ways most people never see.

If you’re in leadership, policy, consulting, or just curious about the forces driving the modern world, this book is a wake-up call.