- Pete Buttigieg « Work at McKiney
Pete for America
December 6, 2019
Statement From Pete Buttigieg Regarding McKinsey work: “I give authorization to McKinsey to release the full list of clients I was assigned to serve.”
South Bend, IN-- Today, Pete Buttigieg released the following statement on his time at McKinsey:“After completing my higher education in 2007, I worked at the consulting firm McKinsey & Company. I held this job for roughly two and a half years, leaving in early 2010 to pursue my passion for public service. As an Associate, I was assigned to months-long stints on ‘teams’ of typically three or four people working on a study for a client. The bulk of my work on these teams consisted of doing mathematical analysis, conducting research, and preparing presentations. I never worked on a project inconsistent with my values, and if asked to do so, I would have left the firm rather than participate.
“Much of my work at McKinsey, including the names of clients served, is covered under a confidentiality agreement that I signed when I joined the firm. In June, my campaign inquired about the scope of this confidentiality agreement. Last month, my campaign reached out again, not only about the scope of the agreement, but also with a request to be released from the confidentiality agreement in full, given the importance of transparency for presidential candidates. To date, the company has not agreed.
“I believe transparency is particularly important under the present circumstances in our country, which is one of the reasons why I have released all tax returns from my time in the private sector and since. I am today reiterating my request that McKinsey release me from this agreement, and I again make clear that I authorize them to release the full list of clients I was assigned to serve. This company must recognize the importance of transparency in the exceptional case of a former employee becoming a competitive candidate for the U.S. presidency.
"I understand why some are calling on me to break the agreement. But, it's important to me to keep my word and commitments. I know the American people also want a president who they can trust to do the same. Now more than ever, however, I also understand the American people deserve to know these kinds of details about their president's background in order to gain and hold that trust. So, I am asking McKinsey to do the right thing in the name of transparency. In the meantime, to add as much clarity as possible to my record, I am providing the following summary of the work that I performed while at the firm.”
Timeline of McKinsey work
2007
Working in Michigan for my first study, I served a nonprofit health insurance provider for approximately three months, undertaking on-the-job training and performing analytical work as part of a team identifying savings in administration and overhead costs.
2008
Working in the Toronto area, I served a grocery and retail chain for approximately six months, analyzing the effects of price cuts on various combinations of items across their hundreds of stores.
Working in Chicago, I briefly served a division of a consumer goods retail chain on a project to investigate opportunities for selling more energy-efficient home products in their stores.
I stepped away from the firm during the late summer and fall of 2008 to help full-time with a Democratic campaign for governor in Indiana, returning after the election.
2008-09
Working mostly in Connecticut, I worked on a project co-sponsored by a group that included the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Energy, the Natural Resources Defense Council, other nonprofit environmental groups, and several utility companies, to research opportunities to combat climate change through energy efficiency. This work was published as a report entitled “Unlocking Energy Efficiency in the U.S. Economy”, which is publicly available at [link] and includes the full list of co-sponsors.
2009
Working mostly in California, I served an environmental nonprofit group on a study to research opportunities in energy efficiency and renewable energy.
Working in Washington with visits to Iraq and Afghanistan, I served a U.S. Government department in a project focused on increasing employment and entrepreneurship in those countries’ economies.
2009-2010
Working in Washington, I served a logistics and shipping provider working to identify and analyze potential new sources of revenue. This was my last study while at McKinsey.
“To the best of my recollection, these are all of my client engagements during my time with the firm, but a full release from McKinsey will allow the American public to see the full scope of my work.”
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Pete
for America
Dec 10, 2019
Dec 10, 2019
My Clients at McKinsey and My Commitment to You
I believe transparency is a quality the
American people should expect from their president.
I also believe that the American people should be able to trust that their president will keep their word and commitments they’ve made.
To act on my values I have released all my tax returns since I completed my education, a standard that, unfortunately, no other candidate in this race has been willing to meet. It is also why I released a summary of my work at McKinsey even though it was my first job out of school where I had little decision making authority. It is also why I worked to be released from my confidentiality agreement with the firm, so that I could responsibly release this information, instead of accede to political pressure to violate the agreement.
Now, voters can see for themselves that my work amounted to mostly research and analysis. They can also see that I value both transparency and keeping my word. Neither of these qualities are something we see coming out of Washington, especially from this White House. It’s time for that to change.
At the same time, I am also concerned about efforts to demonize and disqualify people who have worked in the private sector for the sake of political purity. The majority of Americans have worked in the private sector at some point in their life. Good public servants — including recent Democratic presidents — have worked in the private sector at some point in their lives. I’m concerned about how these attacks pull the focus away from the very real issues voters across America are facing — from health care to gun violence — just as we are about to enter the most consequential election of our lifetimes.
The American people must be able to trust their leaders, and unfortunately transparency, honesty, and integrity are values lacking in the current administration. I intend to carry forward the values of transparency and responsibility with me to the White House, so that the American people can begin to trust their president again.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan: Working in Michigan for my first study, I worked on a project for the non-profit health insurance provider for approximately three months. I was assigned to a team that looked at overhead expenditures such as rent, utilities, and company travel. The project I was assigned to did not involve policies, premiums, or benefits. Because this was my first client study, it largely involved on-the-job training to develop skills in the use of spreadsheets and presentation software.
2008
Loblaw’s: Working in the Toronto area, I served a grocery and retail chain for approximately six months. While there, I analyzed the effects of price cuts on various combinations of items across their hundreds of stores.
Best Buy: Working in Chicago for approximately three months, I served a division of Best Buy on a project to investigate opportunities for selling more energy-efficient home products in their stores.
I stepped away from the firm during the late summer and fall of 2008 to help full-time with a Democratic campaign for governor in Indiana, returning after the election.
2008–2009
Natural Resources Defense Council, Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Energy, other nonprofit environmental groups, and several utility companies: Working mostly in Connecticut, I worked on a project co-sponsored by several groups to research opportunities to combat climate change through energy efficiency. This work was published as a report entitled “Unlocking Energy Efficiency in the U.S. Economy”, which is publicly available and includes the full list of co-sponsors. I worked on this project from the winter of 2008 through spring of 2009.
2009
The Energy Foundation: Working mostly in California, I served an environmental nonprofit group on a study to research opportunities in energy efficiency and renewable energy.
U.S. Department of Defense: Working in Washington with visits to Iraq and Afghanistan, I served on a project for roughly three months focused on increasing employment and entrepreneurship in those countries’ economies.
2009–2010
U.S. Postal Service: Working in Washington, I served the United States Postal Service working to identify and analyze potential new sources of revenue. This study, which lasted a few months, was my last study while at McKinsey.
I also believe that the American people should be able to trust that their president will keep their word and commitments they’ve made.
To act on my values I have released all my tax returns since I completed my education, a standard that, unfortunately, no other candidate in this race has been willing to meet. It is also why I released a summary of my work at McKinsey even though it was my first job out of school where I had little decision making authority. It is also why I worked to be released from my confidentiality agreement with the firm, so that I could responsibly release this information, instead of accede to political pressure to violate the agreement.
Now, voters can see for themselves that my work amounted to mostly research and analysis. They can also see that I value both transparency and keeping my word. Neither of these qualities are something we see coming out of Washington, especially from this White House. It’s time for that to change.
At the same time, I am also concerned about efforts to demonize and disqualify people who have worked in the private sector for the sake of political purity. The majority of Americans have worked in the private sector at some point in their life. Good public servants — including recent Democratic presidents — have worked in the private sector at some point in their lives. I’m concerned about how these attacks pull the focus away from the very real issues voters across America are facing — from health care to gun violence — just as we are about to enter the most consequential election of our lifetimes.
The American people must be able to trust their leaders, and unfortunately transparency, honesty, and integrity are values lacking in the current administration. I intend to carry forward the values of transparency and responsibility with me to the White House, so that the American people can begin to trust their president again.
Timeline of my work as an Associate at McKinsey & Company
2007Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan: Working in Michigan for my first study, I worked on a project for the non-profit health insurance provider for approximately three months. I was assigned to a team that looked at overhead expenditures such as rent, utilities, and company travel. The project I was assigned to did not involve policies, premiums, or benefits. Because this was my first client study, it largely involved on-the-job training to develop skills in the use of spreadsheets and presentation software.
2008
Loblaw’s: Working in the Toronto area, I served a grocery and retail chain for approximately six months. While there, I analyzed the effects of price cuts on various combinations of items across their hundreds of stores.
Best Buy: Working in Chicago for approximately three months, I served a division of Best Buy on a project to investigate opportunities for selling more energy-efficient home products in their stores.
I stepped away from the firm during the late summer and fall of 2008 to help full-time with a Democratic campaign for governor in Indiana, returning after the election.
2008–2009
Natural Resources Defense Council, Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Energy, other nonprofit environmental groups, and several utility companies: Working mostly in Connecticut, I worked on a project co-sponsored by several groups to research opportunities to combat climate change through energy efficiency. This work was published as a report entitled “Unlocking Energy Efficiency in the U.S. Economy”, which is publicly available and includes the full list of co-sponsors. I worked on this project from the winter of 2008 through spring of 2009.
2009
The Energy Foundation: Working mostly in California, I served an environmental nonprofit group on a study to research opportunities in energy efficiency and renewable energy.
U.S. Department of Defense: Working in Washington with visits to Iraq and Afghanistan, I served on a project for roughly three months focused on increasing employment and entrepreneurship in those countries’ economies.
2009–2010
U.S. Postal Service: Working in Washington, I served the United States Postal Service working to identify and analyze potential new sources of revenue. This study, which lasted a few months, was my last study while at McKinsey.
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