Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Infrastructure is at a pivotal inflection point. Its definition is expanding beyond roads and bridges to include data centers, energy systems, and the interconnected assets needed to support today’s global economy.
In this episode of _Inside the Strategy Room,_ McKinsey’s Alastair Green and Adrian Kwok explain why this demands a fundamental mindset shift. They discuss findings from the 2026 Global Private Markets Report, including the estimated $106 trillion in global infrastructure investment needed by 2040. The conversation explores the latest trends shaping infrastructure investment, from AI-driven demand for data centers and power to record private-market fundraising, examining how private capital is responding to an evolving funding landscape.
*Chapters:*
00:00 – The $106 trillion infrastructure opportunity
01:40 – Why infrastructure is expanding
03:14 – Where global infrastructure investment is going
08:55 – How AI is reshaping infrastructure
12:17 – Record growth in infrastructure fundraising
14:40 – Why private capital is moving into infrastructure
22:12 – Where investors see the biggest opportunities
25:19 – Data centers, energy, and other growth areas
28:30 – Sustainable infrastructure opportunities
32:40 – What LPs want from infrastructure investments
36:30 – Where infrastructure capital is being deployed
40:36 – How infrastructure investors can create an edge
43:25 – Infrastructure returns and what comes next
Read the Global Private Markets Report: mckinsey.com/industries/private-capital/our-insights/global-private-markets-report
*Find us on:*
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-corporate-finance
X: https://x.com/McKStrategy
Listen to previous episodes of _Inside the Strategy Room:_
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/314-how-to-maximize-competitive-advantage/id1422814215?i=1000779186822
Spotify:
open.spotify.com/show/4TcFfiQ0e6OYuc5kRDLxqj
Explore transcripts from previous episodes: mck.co/3SqhkOp
Subscribe to our channel: mck.co/YouTube
Subscribe to our newsletters: mck.co/Subscribe
Infrastructure is at a pivotal inflection point. Its definition is expanding beyond roads and bridges to include data centers, energy systems, and the interconnected assets needed to support today’s global economy.
In this episode of _Inside the Strategy Room,_ McKinsey’s Alastair Green and Adrian Kwok explain why this demands a fundamental mindset shift. They discuss findings from the 2026 Global Private Markets Report, including the estimated $106 trillion in global infrastructure investment needed by 2040. The conversation explores the latest trends shaping infrastructure investment, from AI-driven demand for data centers and power to record private-market fundraising, examining how private capital is responding to an evolving funding landscape.
*Chapters:*
00:00 – The $106 trillion infrastructure opportunity
01:40 – Why infrastructure is expanding
03:14 – Where global infrastructure investment is going
08:55 – How AI is reshaping infrastructure
12:17 – Record growth in infrastructure fundraising
14:40 – Why private capital is moving into infrastructure
22:12 – Where investors see the biggest opportunities
25:19 – Data centers, energy, and other growth areas
28:30 – Sustainable infrastructure opportunities
32:40 – What LPs want from infrastructure investments
36:30 – Where infrastructure capital is being deployed
40:36 – How infrastructure investors can create an edge
43:25 – Infrastructure returns and what comes next
Read the Global Private Markets Report: mckinsey.com/industries/private-capital/our-insights/global-private-markets-report
*Find us on:*
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/showcase/mckinsey-strategy-corporate-finance
X: https://x.com/McKStrategy
Listen to previous episodes of _Inside the Strategy Room:_
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/314-how-to-maximize-competitive-advantage/id1422814215?i=1000779186822
Spotify:
open.spotify.com/show/4TcFfiQ0e6OYuc5kRDLxqj
Explore transcripts from previous episodes: mck.co/3SqhkOp
Subscribe to our channel: mck.co/YouTube
Subscribe to our newsletters: mck.co/Subscribe
