Key facts
- McKinsey removed senior partner Chris Bradley from leadership roles, including at the McKinsey Global Institute.
- Bradley's public comments "fell well short of the standards" expected by McKinsey.
- Bradley questioned the existence of the workplace "glass cliff" phenomenon for women executives.
- The "glass cliff" theory suggests female leaders are more likely to be appointed to struggling companies.
- Bradley remains a senior partner at McKinsey and is based in Australia.
McKinsey & Co. has removed Chris Bradley, a senior partner and former director at its research unit, the McKinsey Global Institute, from his leadership positions due to controversial social media comments. The decision, announced Sunday, came after an internal review sparked by Bradley's LinkedIn posts last month where he questioned the concept of the workplace "glass cliff" for women.
The "glass cliff" theory posits that women are disproportionately appointed to leadership roles in companies facing crisis or turnaround situations. Bradley reportedly described the phenomenon as "a very convenient way to always be a victim in the rain" in the now-deleted posts.