BCG in the News

The Economic Times

India’s Quest for a Key Spot on Global Manufacturing Map

Writing in The Economic Times, BCG’s Rich Lesser and Rahul Jain discuss India’s goal of raising manufacturing’s GDP contribution from 17% to 25% stressing the need for public-private sector collaboration. They highlight that “India, with a large yet relatively young population, is an attractive market for global majors, homegrown world-class companies, and startups to set up manufacturing hubs that can serve the world.” Recent infrastructure investments underscore India’s potential to be a cost-competitive manufacturing powerhouse amid shifting global supply chains.

CNBC Africa

$2.4 Trillion Required by 2030 to Meet Africa’s Climate Needs

On CNBC Africa and BusinessDayTV, BCG’s Katie Hill discusses how to close Africa’s $2.4 trillion climate finance gap. Amid higher financing costs for green sectors, she notes that attracting funding requires stability, de-risking strategies, and diversified investments. Hill explains that Africa shines in areas such as “vast renewable energy potential, critical minerals, and a young, educated workforce,” which can help companies to address these challenges.

Fortune

Fractional CFOs: A Hot Topic in the C-Suite

In Fortune, BCG’s Hardik Sheth highlights the growing interest in “fractional CFOs”—contract-based financial experts—amid high CFO turnover. Fractional CFO roles are increasingly appealing to retired executives and mid-career professionals seeking diverse experiences, improved work-life balance, and strategic opportunities. Sheth adds that fractional CFO roles at smaller companies enable the opportunity for financial professionals to “bring about more impact and influence” and “speak their mind more easily and more often.”

Fortune

More CEOs Are Enjoying Remote-Work Models

In Fortune, BCG’s Deborah Lovich stresses that with the growth of remote work, it’s important for CEOs to be “with their people where the work is happening,” whether that’s in a manufacturing plant or out in the stores. CEOs who work remotely can find themselves facing heightened scrutiny over employee perceptions and company performance. Lovich asserts that the real debate is: “How do we create working models where people can be in it together and deliver their best?”

CNBC

Young Consumers Drive Alcohol-Free Trend

In CNBC, BCG’s Nicol Zhou unpacks the growing trend of a reduction in alcohol consumption in the US. This shift is increasing the popularity—especially among younger consumers—of nonalcoholic “functional beverages,” many of which are marketed as having specific health or cognitive benefits. “People are drinking [functional beverages] because they want more choices,” Zhou notes. “They want to be able to socialize and look cool, feel part of the group, but not necessarily have to consume alcohol.”

Axios

The Rise of Retail Media and GenAI in Marketing

In Axios, BCG’s Lauren Wiener highlights that three out of five CMOs consider themselves the driving force behind GenAI initiatives within their organizations. When it comes to GenAI usage within marketing functions, she notes that “the first sets of use cases have really been around efficiency, like improving the speed and pace of content creation.” Wiener also discusses the challenges posed by the decline of third-party cookies, emphasizing the growing importance of first-party data and strategic partnerships for future success.

Fast Company

The Top 3 Skills You Need to Succeed in an AI-Driven World

Writing for Fast Company, BCG’s Mark Abraham and David Edelman urge young employees to develop three crucial skills to succeed in an AI-driven workplace: curiosity, data savvy, and accountability. In their forthcoming book, Personalized: Customer Strategy in the Age of AI, Abraham and Edelman explain that with AI at the forefront of many business operations, asking thought-provoking questions, analyzing data, and taking responsibility for AI outputs are crucial in this quickly changing landscape.

Forbes

Gen Z: The Dangerfield Generation

In her column for Forbes, BCG’s Julia Dhar compares Generation Z to the late Rodney Dangerfield, a comedian whose catchphrase was “I don’t get no respect,” noting that they often feel misunderstood and undervalued. Despite stereotypes of their being fragile and unprepared, Dhar highlights her own observations of Gen Z workers: they value flexibility, seek alignment with employer values, and prioritize mental health. She writes that understanding these traits is crucial for companies as Gen Z becomes an essential part of the workforce.

Fortune

4 Potential Scenarios—and 1 Map—Showing How the World Will Trade Goods for the Next Decade

Writing in Fortune, BCG’s Nikolaus Lang, Marc Gilbert, and Michael McAdoo call for a new approach to navigating the shifting geopolitical landscape. “In this fast-changing world, geopolitics must become a strategic priority for all companies—their future depends on it,” they write. To assess the potential business impact of geopolitical events, the authors advocate for scenario-based planning over traditional predictive methods.

Nikkei Asia

Southeast Asia’s EV Surge

In an interview with Nikkei Asia, BCG’s Alex Dolya and Fahad Anwar highlight Southeast Asia’s growing interest in the electric vehicle (EV) industry as the region seeks to take advantage of shifting global supply chains. In the face of new Western tariffs, EV manufacturers must adopt more advanced technologies, enhance their manufacturing processes, and improve their supply chains. “The focus on cost will be even more significant than it was before,” Dolya says.

Forbes

When Change Is Needed, Your Employees Become Your Customers

In her column for Forbes, BCG’s Julia Dhar highlights the heightened anxiety employees can experience during times of organizational change and how leaders can help their workforce overcome it. “Change isn’t something leaders can demand; rather, it’s something they must earn,” she adds. Dhar urges leaders to treat employees like customers by selling the idea of change, rather than demanding it.

Business Insider

Protecting Against IT Disruption

In Business Insider, BCG’s Charles Hosner discusses the CrowdStrike global IT outage, highlighting the risks that companies face when neglecting their IT and digital resilience. Often, these responsibilities are overshadowed by other business priorities. However, with the interconnectedness of today’s technology, companies must take proactive actions to safeguard against these outages. "This is not an IT issue, it is a broad business issue and it needs a business-led solution with IT supporting," Hosner says.