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William Forrest

Senior PartnerChicago

Helps boards and C-level executives develop innovative strategies to raise top-line revenue and sustain operational improvements, with a focus on industry-shaping mergers and acquisitions

Will is a leader of McKinsey Digital. He brings more than 20 years of experience leading corporate and technology transformations at globally significant institutions.

Will’s leadership responsibilities at McKinsey include spearheading our cloud, next-generation-infrastructure, and data-center capabilities, as well as our global technology-infrastructure and high-tech M&A efforts. He also helps lead Equal at McKinsey, McKinsey’s LGBTQ-affinity community.

Examples of his recent client work include the following:

  • developing a cloud strategy for a chief information officer of the US federal government
  • executing one of the largest M&A deals in the technology industry
  • co-conceiving and spinning out a leading cloud-platform company
  • developing a next-generation-innovation strategy for a global top ten retail bank

Before joining McKinsey, William was a senior manager at the financial-services-technology practice of a global consulting firm, where he helped establish and lead the infrastructure-management group.

Published work

In search of cloud value: Can generative AI transform cloud ROI?,” McKinsey & Company, November 2023

Projecting the global value of cloud: $3 trillion is up for grabs for companies that go beyond adoption,” McKinsey & Company, November 2022

How effective boards approach technology governance,” McKinsey & Company, September 2022

It’s cloud time for boards—in seven charts,” McKinsey & Company, April 2022

Four ways boards can shape the cloud agenda,” McKinsey & Company, April 2021

Cloud’s trillion-dollar prize is up for grabs,” McKinsey Quarterly, February 2021

Unlocking value: Four lessons in cloud sourcing and consumption,” McKinsey & Company, November 2020

Three actions CEOs can take to get value from cloud computing,” McKinsey Quarterly, July 2020

Past experience

Deloitte Consulting
senior manager

Education

The University of Edinburgh
MA, philosophy/political science