Kevin Sneader
Kevin Sneader | |
|---|---|
| Born | c. 1966 Canada |
| Occupation | Management consultant |
| Years active | –present |
| Known for | Global managing partner at McKinsey & Company (2018–2021), co-president Asia-Pacific at Goldman Sachs (from 2021) |
Kevin Sneader (born around 1966) is a British management consultant originally from Canada. He held the position of global managing partner at McKinsey & Company from July 2018 until July 2021. Notably, Sneader was the first individual since 1976 in this role who was not re-elected for a second term, following an internal election in early 2021. In September 2021, he took on the role of co-president for the Asia-Pacific region at Goldman Sachs.
Early life and education
Born in Canada in 1966, Kevin Sneader grew up in Glasgow, Scotland. His father, Walter Sneader, was a chemistry professor at the University of Strathclyde, while his mother, Myrna, worked as a teacher at a Jewish nursery school. Sneader himself is Jewish.
He completed his secondary education at Hutchesons' Grammar School in Glasgow before obtaining a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Glasgow. Subsequently, he earned an MBA from Harvard Business School, where he was recognized as a Baker Scholar.
Career
Following graduation from the University of Glasgow, Sneader began his career at McKinsey & Company. He led McKinsey's UK and Ireland offices as managing partner until 2014 and then assumed leadership as chairman of the Asia-Pacific division. In February 2018, he was named global managing partner of McKinsey, succeeding Dominic Barton in July that year. Sneader was distinguished as McKinsey’s first global leader of both Scottish and Jewish heritage.
Personal life
Sneader is married to Amy Muntner, and together they live in Hong Kong with their two daughters.
Controversy
In 2019, McKinsey & Company faced scrutiny over its consulting engagements with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Sneader asserted that McKinsey had never been involved in shaping or implementing immigration policies and emphasized that the firm would avoid projects conflicting with its core values. However, an investigation by the New York Times revealed that McKinsey’s participation in deportation-related activities was more significant than publicly acknowledged.
During Sneader’s leadership period, McKinsey also encountered criticism related to its work with Saudi Arabia after the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, as well as for advising Purdue Pharma amid the opioid epidemic in the United States. The company agreed to pay $619 million to settle claims brought by 50 states, territories, and the District of Columbia concerning opioid-related issues. Court documents unveiled during litigation revealed McKinsey’s involvement in promoting Purdue’s OxyContin during a crisis linked to over 450,000 fatalities over twenty years.