McKinsey removes Chris Bradley from leadership roles after LinkedIn comments

McKinsey has removed Australian senior partner Chris Bradley from leadership positions following a conduct review triggered by his public comments about women in the workplace.

Bradley lost his role as a director of the McKinsey Global Institute, the consultancy’s business and economic research arm. He remains a senior partner at the firm.

The review followed a LinkedIn exchange last month with an author of a new book discussing the workplace “glass cliff” for women. Bradley questioned the difficulties female executives face, according to the report. The posts were subsequently deleted.

McKinsey had already distanced itself from the remarks. Spokesman Taylor Burns said in an emailed statement that Bradley’s public comments had fallen well below the standards expected at the firm.

Burns said Bradley had also held leadership positions on internal committees. The company’s action concerns his leadership responsibilities and does not amount to his departure from McKinsey.