Marsh & McLennan Companies (NYSE:MMC) Q3 2025 Earnings Call October 16, 2025 08:00 AM ET Company ParticipantsMartin South - CEONick Studer - CEOGreg Peters - Managing DirectorJohn Doyle - President and CEOElyse Greenspan - Managing DirectorBrian Meredith - Managing DirectorMark McGivney - CFOConference Call ParticipantsDavid Motemaden - Managing Director and Senior Equity Research AnalystMike Zaremski - Senior Equity Research Analyst and Managing DirectorRob Cox - VP and Equity Research AnalystAlex Scott - ...

Core Insights - The "Investment Shanghai · Shared Future" investment exchange conference was successfully held in Shanghai, co-hosted by the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce and Jiushi Group, highlighting Shanghai's commitment to attracting foreign investment [2] - Ernst & Young (EY) emphasized Shanghai's comprehensive advantages in attracting foreign investment, focusing on the city's resilience and investment appeal [3][4] Group 1: Investment Environment - Shanghai has demonstrated unique development resilience and investment attractiveness as a frontier for China's opening up, continuously promoting institutional openness [4] - Since 2018, Shanghai has released an action plan to optimize the business environment for eight consecutive years, showcasing the government's forward-looking vision and service spirit [4] - The ongoing optimization of the business environment has become a core competitive advantage for Shanghai in attracting foreign investment [4] Group 2: Industry Development - Shanghai is accelerating the construction of an international innovation center, focusing on comprehensive ecological layouts in emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and green low-carbon technologies [4] - EY has actively participated in government-led overseas investment promotion activities, assisting multinational companies in establishing new enterprises, R&D centers, and regional headquarters in Shanghai, covering key industries like electronic information and biomedicine [4] Group 3: Policy and Project Promotion - During the policy and project promotion segment, officials from various Shanghai government departments provided authoritative interpretations of the latest policies and initiatives aimed at attracting foreign investment, including developments in the artificial intelligence industry and financial support for technological innovation [4] Group 4: Roundtable Discussion - The roundtable discussion focused on the integration of culture, sports, and tourism in a global mega-city, exploring opportunities arising from top-tier events, innovative financial support, and advanced technology [5] - Shanghai's exceptional urban charm, complete industrial ecosystem, and high-quality business environment offer global investors a valuable sense of "certainty" [5] - Investing in Shanghai is portrayed as a choice for sustainable and promising future opportunities [5]

神译局是36氪旗下编译团队，关注科技、商业、职场、生活等领域，重点介绍国外的新技 术、新观点、新风向。 编者按：别再假装工作了。当信念崩塌，大公司正沦为年轻人搞副业的"基础设施"。文章来自编译。 上周，我跟一个在大型咨询公司工作的人喝咖啡。她花了二十分钟向我解释她的职责。不是因为这有多 复杂，而是因为她似乎在努力说服自己这份工作是真实存在的。"我负责促进跨职能工作流中利益相关 者之间的协同，"但说完她自己都笑了。"说真的，我现在已经搞不懂这话是什么意思了。" 有这种感受的并非只有她一人。我时常遇到一些人，他们用在日常对话中绝不会用的词汇来描述自己的 工作。他们参加的会议是为了讨论下一个会议。他们制作无人问津的PPT，放进无人打开的邮件中，然 后催生出一些根本没必要做的任务。 而最奇怪的是：人人都心知肚明。当你私下里跟他们交谈，在下班后，或许是在他们得以放松喘息之 后，他们会承认。他们的工作基本上就是一场精心设计的行为艺术。他们是专业的邮件转发员，是或许 本可以直接对话的系统之间的人肉中间件。 但故事的走向可能和你预想的不一样。 盛大的伪装 早上8点，当你穿行于伦敦金融城或金丝雀码头，你会看到成千上万看起来目标 ...

Core Insights - Generative AI (GenAI) is revolutionizing customer experience, unlocking significant value across industries, with a potential commercial value of up to $1.3 trillion in customer experience improvements [1][2] - GenAI plays three key roles in enhancing customer experience: real-time customer information collection, intelligent restructuring of customer journeys, and scalable personalized experiences [1][2] Challenges and Opportunities - The implementation of GenAI faces three main challenges: insufficient strategic focus on customer experience, difficulties in organizational collaboration, and inadequate measurement systems [2][3] - Companies must leverage big data and AI to closely link customer feedback with actual business metrics for effective measurement [2] Case Studies - A leading global coffee chain transitioned from traditional surveys to real-time customer data collection, optimizing customer touchpoints [2] - An international energy retail company upgraded its voice hotline system with AI, significantly reducing service costs while enhancing customer satisfaction [2] - A travel platform focused on airport scenarios utilized big data and AI to offer customized services based on different traveler profiles, improving customer satisfaction through personalized, cost-effective solutions [2] Strategic Recommendations - Companies should ensure that customer experience transformation is driven by top management, making it a core strategic focus with clear business objectives [3][4] - Utilizing real-time customer data to identify pain points and focusing on high-frequency scenarios can facilitate effective transformation [3] - For resource-constrained mid-sized companies, identifying key areas for customer experience enhancement and leveraging AI tools can maximize value [3] CEO Actionable Insights - CEOs should anticipate potential obstacles in large-scale customer experience transformations and develop strategies to address them, including establishing unified success definitions and evaluation standards [4] - A clear vision and goals for customer experience strategy should be set, breaking down departmental silos to foster collaboration [4] - A scientific measurement system should be constructed to ensure that customer experience optimization is deeply linked to business outcomes [4] Future Trends - AI is fundamentally reshaping customer experience through three disruptive changes: enhanced real-time behavior tracking, more human-like AI assistants improving service satisfaction and reducing costs, and a shift from group profiling to personalized services [4] - Companies must adapt to these changes to effectively engage with customers in the future [4]

Core Insights - Walmart is facing challenges from AI-driven workforce transformation, with executives acknowledging that AI will eliminate certain jobs and reshape the employee structure [1] - CEO Doug McMillon provided a direct assessment of AI's impact on employment, stating that AI will change every job [1] - Walmart plans to maintain its global workforce of approximately 2.1 million employees over the next three years, but the composition of jobs will significantly change [1][2] Group 1: Company Strategy - Walmart executives are actively assessing the impact of AI on the workforce in high-level planning meetings, tracking job types that may decrease, increase, or remain stable [2] - The company aims to create opportunities for all employees to transition successfully into the new era [2] - Walmart has developed chatbots for customers, suppliers, and employees, and is utilizing AI to track supply chain and product trends [2] Group 2: Job Creation and Automation - AI has already led to automation in many warehouses, resulting in some job reductions, while new positions like "agent builders" have been created to develop AI tools [2] - The company expects to increase staffing in delivery and high-contact customer service roles, as well as in-store maintenance technicians and truck drivers [2] - The pace of change across the industry is expected to be gradual, with customer service tasks becoming more reliant on AI [2] Group 3: Industry Trends - Other companies are also embracing AI, with executives creating internal "heat maps" to identify roles or tasks that may be automated [4] - Concerns about AI-related layoffs have been rising, with some companies indicating they will eliminate employees who cannot be retrained for the AI era [4] - The CEO of Ford stated that AI could replace half of the white-collar jobs in the U.S., while OpenAI's chief economist noted that AI's impact on the job market is just beginning [5]

Core Insights - The event "Coffee and Tea Time" (CTT) held in London aimed to promote cross-cultural communication and business cooperation between Eastern and Western commercial civilizations through sharing cutting-edge global business cases [2] Group 1: Event Overview - The CTT event was organized by Yicai Global and featured over 40 participants from various sectors including finance, consumption, technology, law, and performing arts [1] - Notable British participants included Stage Coach, Bubble Ci-Tea, and Harrods, along with startups like BioReCode that have strong potential demand in the Chinese market [1][2] Group 2: Objectives and Outcomes - The goal of the CTT event is to enhance mutual trust and facilitate business collaboration, thereby advancing global commercial civilization [2] - MIE Consulting and Yicai Global signed a cooperation intention letter to leverage MIE's brand consulting expertise in Europe, helping Chinese companies integrate into local markets [2] Group 3: Cultural Insights - MIE Consulting's CEO emphasized the importance of respecting cultural differences and deep communication to find collaboration opportunities, highlighting the potential of the Chinese market and the innovation of Chinese enterprises [3]

Core Insights - Australia showcased its largest delegation at the 12th China International Fair for Trade in Services, highlighting cooperation potential in finance, education, and professional services [1] - The bilateral trade between China and Australia is significant, with a 2.6% growth projected for the 2023-2024 fiscal year, reaching 325 billion AUD (approximately 1.5 trillion RMB) [1] Group 1: Trade Relations - China remains Australia's largest trading partner, particularly in iron ore, coal, and natural gas, holding a substantial share of Australia's export market [1] - The trade relationship between the two countries has been improving, with a notable increase in trade volume [1] Group 2: Service Trade Cooperation - There is immense potential for cooperation in knowledge-intensive services such as accounting, finance, law, and consulting between China and Australia [2] - Initiatives to jointly cultivate international talent and enhance mutual recognition of professional qualifications are expected to further promote connectivity in the professional services sector [2] Group 3: Impact of Government Policies - China's recent measures to open up the service trade market signal a positive shift towards integrating into the global service economy [2] - The transformation of China's trade structure from goods to services, including AI, digital economy, finance, education, and tourism, is noteworthy [2] Group 4: Talent Development in Finance - The Australian CPA has developed a competency framework for finance professionals, focusing on six core competencies: ethical integrity, professional financial skills, adaptive thinking, big data and digitalization, business acumen, and self-motivation with interpersonal leadership [2][3] - Emphasis is placed on the ability to translate professional knowledge into cross-disciplinary collaboration and practical application, aligning with future employer demands [3] Group 5: Role of Artificial Intelligence - AI is reshaping the finance industry by enabling faster, smarter, and more resilient business development, enhancing compliance risk control, optimizing cash flow management, and establishing data-driven decision-making mechanisms [3] - The challenge lies not in AI itself but in finance professionals' ability to continuously learn and adapt their skills to meet new industry demands [3]

Core Viewpoint - Australia showcased its largest delegation at the 12th China International Fair for Trade in Services, highlighting cooperation potential in finance, education, and professional services with China [2] Group 1: Trade Relations - China remains Australia's largest trading partner, particularly in iron ore, coal, and natural gas, accounting for a significant share of Australia's export market [2] - The bilateral trade volume between China and Australia is projected to grow by 2.6% in the 2023-2024 fiscal year, reaching AUD 325 billion (approximately RMB 1.5 trillion) [2] Group 2: Service Trade Cooperation - There is substantial potential for cooperation in knowledge-intensive services such as accounting, finance, law, and consulting between China and Australia [3] - China's recent initiatives to open up its service trade market signal a shift from a goods-focused trade structure to include sectors like artificial intelligence, digital economy, finance, education, and tourism [3] Group 3: Talent Development - The Australian CPA has developed a competency framework for accounting talent, which includes six core competency modules: ethical integrity, professional financial skills, adaptive thinking, big data and digitalization, business acumen, and self-motivation with interpersonal leadership [4] - The framework aims to enhance the ability to translate professional knowledge into cross-disciplinary collaboration and practical application, aligning with future employer demands in the accounting sector [4] Group 4: Impact of Artificial Intelligence - Artificial intelligence is reshaping the finance industry by automating routine tasks, allowing finance professionals to transition from traditional controllers to value creators [5] - The challenge lies not in AI itself but in finance professionals' ability to continuously learn and adapt their skills to meet new industry demands [5]

Core Insights - AI engineers with a billing rate of $900 per hour are emerging as significant challengers to traditional consulting firms like McKinsey, particularly in the context of high failure rates (95%) of enterprise AI projects [1][4][10] - Hasura has introduced a new model where AI engineers act as consultants, bridging the gap between strategy and execution, which is a departure from traditional MBA-style consulting [1][6][12] Group 1: AI Engineer Consultant Model - Hasura's AI engineers are not only strategists but also hands-on implementers, capable of coding and deploying AI solutions, thus addressing the high failure rates of AI projects [1][6][12] - The role of AI engineers as consultants is reshaping expectations and culture within the consulting industry, highlighting the limitations of traditional MBA consultants in understanding AI's practical applications [6][12][14] Group 2: Market Dynamics and Compensation - The $900 hourly rate for AI engineers is competitive, significantly higher than the $400-$600 charged by partners at major consulting firms, reflecting the high demand for skilled AI professionals [8][9] - Companies are increasingly recognizing the need for "engineering-level" talent to successfully implement AI strategies, leading to a premium on AI engineers as a form of insurance against project failures [12][13] Group 3: Challenges and Critiques - Despite the innovative approach, there are critiques regarding whether simply hiring AI engineers at high rates will resolve the underlying issues causing project failures, such as executive misalignment and inadequate incentives [13][14] - The challenge remains for companies like PromptQL to educate the market and shift the mindset of traditional leaders who are accustomed to conventional consulting methods [14]

Group 1 - The core viewpoint of the article highlights the acceleration of Chinese enterprises' globalization across various sectors, including new energy vehicles, lithium batteries, and cultural industries, with a significant increase in foreign direct investment (FDI) [1] - In 2024, China's FDI flow reached $192.2 billion, marking an 8.4% increase from the previous year and accounting for 11.9% of the global share, maintaining a position among the top three globally for 13 consecutive years [1] - By the end of 2024, China's FDI stock is projected to reach $3.14 trillion, continuing its trend of being among the top three globally for eight years [1] Group 2 - The "going out" strategy of Chinese enterprises has evolved into a "technology + brand + ecosystem" collaborative output model, characterized by high-end, diversified, and ecological features [2] - The "new three samples" (new energy vehicles, photovoltaic, and lithium batteries) are leading high-tech exports, transitioning from product trade to full industrial chain output [2] - Cross-border e-commerce continues to drive consumer exports, with Chinese brands dominating sectors such as clothing, electronics, and home goods [2] Group 3 - Professional services such as auditing, consulting, and legal services are increasingly accompanying enterprises abroad, creating an ecosystem synergy effect [3] - Companies are adopting a systematic decision-making framework for selecting overseas destinations, focusing on supply chain layout and customer demographics [4] - The "China +1" strategy is being employed to avoid trade barriers, with investments in regions like Southeast Asia and Mexico to mitigate high tariffs [4] Group 4 - Chinese enterprises are experiencing a significant increase in overseas mergers and acquisitions (M&A), with a notable rise in large transactions despite a slight decrease in the number of deals [5][6] - Emerging markets are becoming more active in cross-border M&A, with countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative seeing increased investment [5] - The valuation expectations between buyers and sellers are narrowing, with quality targets being pushed to the market [5] Group 5 - The Chinese government is implementing a multi-layered policy system to support enterprises going abroad, including financial credit support and cross-border investment facilitation [7] - Various policy financial products have been introduced to address the financing challenges faced by small and medium-sized foreign trade enterprises [7] - Initiatives such as simplifying the ODI (Overseas Direct Investment) filing process and encouraging enterprises to participate in international exhibitions are part of the support measures [7]