From Chaos to Clarity: How Bain Capital’s John Connaughton Leads Through Volatility

Redefiners

While the terms “uncertainty” and “volatility” get thrown around a lot, they certainly describe what’s going on now in global markets, especially when it comes to private equity. In this episode of Redefiners, Clarke Murphy and Marla Oates talk with Bain Capital Co-Managing Partner John Connaughton to get his take on leading through change.

As someone who has successfully managed through several periods of volatility during his more than 36-year career with Bain Capital, John takes us through how he’s been able to look past current unpredictability with an eye towards the long term. He shares tips and key learnings on how to increase adaptability and agility across the firm, including AI adoption and transformation. He talks about recruiting and retaining top talent, and the top traits he looks for in leaders. Plus, he shares his thoughts on how universities can help redefine the skills needed for next generation leaders to excel in a rapidly changing world.

We'll also hear from Chris Davis, a leadership advisor in our New York City office, who will discuss the critical leadership traits financial services CEOs need to master AI transformation. 

Four things you’ll learn from this episode:

1. How to find and keep the best talent, including the top traits to look for in leadership
2. How to build resilience and adaptability in teams to deal with uncertainty and change
3. How technology and AI impacts investment strategy and growth
4. How educational institutions need to redefine what skills will be needed in a rapidly changing world