Joanna Barsh, Director Emerita at McKinsey & Company, has over 30 years of experience advising consumer-facing clients on growth strategy, performance transformation, organisational effectiveness, and leadership development. In 2007, she established Centered Leadership to support leaders aiming to transform their organisations and communities.
Joanna has worked with over 100 companies, governments, and organisations globally, including in Australia, Brazil, China, and several European countries. She facilitates executive workshops, leads discussions for top teams, and delivers keynotes on centred leadership, women's potential, and engaging Millennials in the workforce.
A strong advocate for women, Joanna served on New York City's Commission on Women’s Issues for a decade, appointed by Mayor Bloomberg. She conducted significant research for The Wall Street Journal’s Women in Econ Task Force and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Joanna has spoken at various high-profile events, including Fortune’s Most Powerful Women summit and Women on Wall Street. She is a member of former Secretary Clinton’s International Council of Women Business Leaders and co-chairs its Leadership Working Group.
Joanna is the best-selling author of "How Remarkable Women Lead" and "Centered Leadership". Her latest book, "Grow Wherever You Work', aims to help emerging leaders accelerate their growth by embracing challenges, with translations in Chinese, Korean, and Japanese forthcoming.
Currently, Joanna is conducting research titled "MAKERS" on the Front Line, involving nearly 50 companies to identify effective actions for advancing women and people of colour. She holds degrees from the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Chicago, and Harvard Business School, where she was a Baker Scholar. After 20 years as a trustee for Sesame Workshop, Joanna now serves on the board of Genesco.