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Ryan Brukardt

Senior PartnerMiami

Advises global aerospace, defense, and space companies on achieving sustainable growth and operational excellence

Ryan supports McKinsey’s advanced-industries work (with a focus on global aerospace, defense, and space companies) and leads the firm’s cash and space work. With more than 20 years of military and consulting experience, he specializes in corporate strategy, managing major business and operational transformations, working-capital improvements, building clients’ capabilities, and M&A advisory.

Ryan has advised senior executives on organic and inorganic growth, cost restructuring, technology and product strategy, improving manufacturing operations and supply chains and reducing risk, and business-to-government program capture excellence. He has also led several large postmerger integration efforts and oversees Radar by McKinsey, the firm’s government market analytics solution.

Before joining McKinsey, Ryan worked at another global consulting firm. Prior to starting his consulting career, he was a space- and missile-operations officer in the US Air Force. He continues to serve as a reservist, advising senior leaders on nuclear-policy matters at US Air Force headquarters.

Ryan has extensively studied warfare, military strategy and leadership, international security, and space policy and doctrine. He has published in defense and science journals, including Defense News, War on the Rocks, and the Astronomical Journal.

Published work

Charting a new course: The untapped potential of American shipyards,” McKinsey & Company, June 2024

The case for space,” McKinsey & Company, May 2024

Why flow matters most in highly complex manufacturing,” McKinsey & Company, May 2024

Space: The $1.8 trillion opportunity for global economic growth, McKinsey & Company, April 2024

Expectations versus reality: Commercial satellite constellations,” McKinsey & Company, April 2023

Space: The missing element of your strategy,” McKinsey & Company, March 2023

Taking off: Scaling complex manufacturing in the aerospace industry,” McKinsey & Company, February 2023

How will the space economy change the world?,” McKinsey Quarterly, November 2022

A different space race: Raising capital and accelerating growth,” McKinsey & Company, November 2022

The role of space in driving sustainability, security, and development on Earth,” McKinsey & Company, May 2022

Space around the globe,” McKinsey & Company, April 2022

Space: Investment shifts from GEO to LEO and now beyond,” McKinsey & Company, January 2022

R&D for space: Who is actually funding it?,” McKinsey & Company, December 2021

Expectations versus reality: Commercial satellite constellations,” McKinsey & Company, November 2021

Rethinking inventory management in defense,” McKinsey & Company, May 2021

Past experience

Booz & Company
Partner

United States Air Force
Officer

Education

Auburn University
MBA

The Johns Hopkins University
BA, physics