The reports of McKinsey’s death are greatly exaggerated, despite what The Economist might say. McKinsey isn’t dead. What’s dying is the professional mythos – the belief that your time is inherently valuable. Just as importantly, the glamour once attached to professional life, the sense that years of hard work and study meant you had “made it”, is dying too.

When I was 22, I landed one of those coveted analyst roles at McKinsey London straight out of university. Despite working over 80 hours a week, I felt glamorous about it: business class flights around the world, sampling 5-star hotels in global cities, Michelin star team dinners, getting picked up in a Mercedes S-class at 10pm to be dropped off outside a Mayfair club on Friday nights (anyone remember Mahiki?). But the most important element wasn’t the fancy perks; it was feeling that my time mattered.

Even as a 22-year-old graduate, the Firm provided a phalanx of administrative, research and operational support so I could focus on client matters without worrying about anything else (though client matters mostly meant Powerpoint, Excel and Problem Solving Sessions). That support made being a McKinsey consultant feel sexy and glamorous.

Over this summer, I met with dozens of leaders across professional services: senior partners at law firms, consultancies, accounting firms and credit funds. As an AI entrepreneur and investor, I’ve always been fascinated by how technology transforms the white-collar workplace. What I learned confirmed something........

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