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Vik Krishnan

Senior PartnerBay Area

Advises companies in the aviation, travel, and aerospace sectors on operational-performance improvement, digital transformation, and growth

Vik draws on more than 20 years of consulting experience across multiple functional areas in travel, logistics, and infrastructure to advise organizations as they design networks, improve pricing sophistication, drive better on-time performance, and schedule crews efficiently.

Examples of his recent client work include the following:

  • identifying process and cost-improvement opportunities for a major Latin American low-cost airline to achieve top-tier cost performance
  • evaluating an airline target for potential acquisition for a major private-equity fund, which included assessing the target’s business plan, case for growth, revenue, partnership and network optimization potential, and cost-reduction opportunities
  • assessing the US aircraft ground-handling market for a prospective private-equity investor, including growth potential, customer priorities in handler selection, and airport dynamics
  • leading an outside-in review of a potential $15 billion-plus investment program on behalf of the board of directors of a large aerospace OEM
  • assessing the implications of production rate changes on customer dynamics and cash flow for an aerospace OEM
  • developing a resource-deployment and utilization plan across the organization of a global top ten hub airport to improve customer experience and prepare for future demand growth
  • developing a plan to improve operational throughput and collaboration for the primary hub airline of major Asian airport group, driving 30 percent higher slot capacity at peak departure times
  • identifying opportunities to expand the duty-free business for a Middle Eastern airport operator

Video

The path to recovery for US hospitality,” McKinsey & Company, June 2021

Published work

"Ready for takeoff: The airline retailing opportunity,” McKinsey & Company, October 2024

The evolving role of experiences in travel,” McKinsey & Company, September 2024

Demand for efficient airplanes persists: An interview with Darren Hulst,” McKinsey & Company, September 2024

Aircraft MRO 2.0: The digital revolution,” McKinsey & Company, July 2024

What AI means for travel—now and in the future,” McKinsey & Company, November 2023

Checking in on the aviation value chain’s recovery,” McKinsey & Company, October 2023

The hotel of the future,” McKinsey & Company, July 2023

Travel startups: Disruption from within?,” McKinsey & Company, March 2023

Planning for uncertainty in commercial aerospace,” McKinsey & Company, February 2023

The snap back of travel: Airlines’ ability to keep pace,” McKinsey & Company, November 2022

Logistics disruptors: Replicating Uber’s success in the trucking industry,” McKinsey & Company, October 2022

Accelerating the transition to net-zero travel,” McKinsey & Company, September 2022

Why rising fuel prices might not be as bad for the airline sector as it seems,” McKinsey & Company, July 2022

The six secrets of profitable airlines,” McKinsey & Company, June 2022

Trying to boost corporate travel sales? Five questions for airline executives,” McKinsey & Company, May 2022

Taking stock of the pandemic’s impact on global aviation,” McKinsey & Company, March 2022

Turning on the revenue tap: How US airports could make the most of additional liquidity,” McKinsey & Company, February 2022

Growth in a crisis: Lessons from hospitality CEO Omar El Hamamsy,” McKinsey & Company, November 2021

A playbook for newly minted private equity portfolio-company CEOs,” McKinsey & Company, September 2021

A travel boom is looming. But is the industry ready?,” McKinsey & Company, July 2021

The comeback of corporate travel: How should companies be planning?,” McKinsey & Company, July 2021

Will airline hubs recover from COVID-19?,” McKinsey & Company, November 2020

For corporate travel, a long recovery ahead,” McKinsey & Company, August 2020

Hospitality and COVID-19: How long until ‘no vacancy’ for US hotels?,” McKinsey & Company, June 2020

Coronavirus: Airlines brace for severe turbulence,” McKinsey & Company, April 2020

PAST EXPERIENCE

Oliver Wyman
Partner, global aviation sector lead

EDUCATION

Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania
MBA, operations and information management, strategic management (Palmer Scholar)

Dartmouth College
BA, economics