Former AlixPartners managing director and McKinsey senior partner Julian McCarthy has joined the energy transition practice of management consulting firm Partners in Performance.
According to Partners in Performance, a homegrown management consulting firm with an international presence, the appointment forms part of its ambition in building an industry-leading practice of over 90 employees, and comes on the heels of Eric Powell taking up a leadership role of its North American energy transition practice.
“I’m passionate about clean energy transition and have long admired the work of Partners in Performance,” McCarthy said on his new role.
He continued, “The firm’s focus on unlocking strategic and operational potential, backed by close partnership and capability-building with clients, is pivotal to ensuring lasting, positive outcomes. This is exactly what businesses need now; a partner to help take real action and advance their journey to net-zero emissions.”
Like Powell, McCarthy brings a background from AlixPartners, where he served for three and a half years as a managing director following a sixteen-year stint at McKinsey & Company in various international locations, including New York, London, Tokyo and Melbourne. More recently, McCarthy has served as a director at performance improvement consultancy TruePoint, as well as operating his own independent consultancy.
While a director and senior partner at McKinsey, McCarthy was responsible for co-founding and co-leading a number of the management giant’s practices, including its Global Operational Effectiveness and Lean Production practices. According to his business bio, McCarthy specialises in strategic realignment and performance transformation in complex global operations, with a particular focus on energy intensive industries such as steel and aluminium.
In addition, McCarthy, who started his career as a mechanical engineer working in renewable energy, boasts experience in a number of other sectors across the energy spectrum, including solar and wind technology, electric power generation, fuel transportation, and ocean shipping.
On joining Partners in Performance, McCarthy noted the firm’s success in helping clients remove 40 million tonnes of annual CO2 just last year alone.
“Julian brings a unique mix of international experience, skills in making change happen, and expertise in energy transition that is much needed in our industry,” said Partners in Performance managing director Skipp Williamson. “He is well positioned to help lead our energy transition operations in ANZ, as an increasing number of businesses engage in sustainability initiatives and work through the various stages and scopes of decarbonisation.”
Williamson, considered one of Australia’s most influential consultants, continued; “Energy transition is no longer a ‘nice-to-have’, but a business imperative. The technology and funding are available now, making transition not only economically viable but also financially attractive. Organisations can save costs, unlock value for customers, mitigate climate risk, and attract and retain talent through a concerted drive to low-carbon operations.”
Source from Consultancy.au