Kate works with clients to deploy the power of data, digital culture and capabilities, and modernized core technology. She has been a core leader of our consumer work for many years, helping leading retailers and consumer-facing companies capture opportunities afforded by new growth platforms, rethink consumer-engagement models, and improve organizational performance.
In her work with clients, Kate helps companies understand the full extent of technology disruption on business strategy and leads digital, data, and design transformations as industry dynamics evolve. Throughout, she works with senior leadership teams to help them build the mind-sets, capabilities, and grassroots understanding required to undergo such change successfully and sustainably.
She also has firsthand experience as a chief technology officer across core technology, digital product management and innovation, and cybersecurity work.
She is a co-author of Rewired: The McKinsey Guide to Outcompeting in the Age of Digital and AI.
Prior to joining McKinsey, Kate worked in the investment-banking division of a multinational investment bank and financial-services holding company in London, advising on mergers, acquisitions, and debt restructuring in the technology sector.
In addition to her work with McKinsey, Kate is a trustee of Tommy’s, the children’s charity.
Video and Webinars
“The digital-value guardian: CEOs and digital transformations,” McKinsey & Company, December 2021
“McKinsey Live: Accelerating digital capabilities to recover from the COVID-19 crisis,” McKinsey & Company, July 2020
“The secrets to going digital,” McKinsey & Company, September 2015
Published Work
“Rewiring for the era of gen AI,” McKinsey & Company, October 2024
“Choose the right transformation ‘bite size’,” McKinsey & Company, March 2024
“MLOps so AI can scale,” McKinsey & Company, March 2024
“Ten unsung digital and AI ideas shaping business,” McKinsey & Company, January 2024
“What really works when it comes to digital and AI transformations?,” McKinsey & Company, July 2023
“Rewired to outcompete,” McKinsey Quarterly, June 2023
“The economic potential of generative AI: The next productivity frontier,” McKinsey & Company, June 2023
“Digital resilience: Consumer survey finds ample scope for growth,” McKinsey & Company, October 2022
“Why digital trust truly matters,” McKinsey & Company, September 2022
“Digital transformation on the CEO agenda,” McKinsey & Company, May 2022
“Cloud’s trillion-dollar prize is up for grabs,” McKinsey Quarterly, February 2021
“Think fast: How to accelerate e-commerce growth,” McKinsey & Company, November 2020
“How companies can win in the seven tech-talent battlegrounds,” McKinsey & Company, October 2020
“Driving digital change during a crisis: The chief digital officer and COVID-19,” McKinsey & Company, April 2020
“The digital-led recovery from COVID-19: Five questions for CEOs,” McKinsey & Company, April 2020
“How CFOs should drive digital transformation,” McKinsey & Company, February 2020
“Q&A with Kate Smaje,” (PDF–1.9 MB) McKinsey & Company, June 2017
“What's your digital quotient?,” HBR Ideacast, September 2015
“‘Transformer in chief’: The new chief digital officer,“ McKinsey & Company, September 2015
“Five habits for executives to become more digital,” McKinsey & Company, November 2014
“The seven traits of effective digital enterprises,” McKinsey & Company, May 2014
Past Experience
JPMorgan Chase
Analyst
Education
University of Durham
BA, history