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Neil Rao

Senior PartnerSeattle

Advises health systems and healthcare-services entities on strategy and top-line performance topics, as well as private-equity and venture-capital groups investing in healthcare

Neil serves health systems and healthcare-services entities on strategy and top-line performance topics and advises private-equity and venture-capital groups investing in healthcare. Additionally, Neil leads the finance and client service risk functions for McKinsey’s Social, Healthcare & Public Entities (SHaPE) Practice globally.

Examples of his recent client work include the following:

  • leading a multiyear, enterprise-performance transformation for a >$25 billion annual revenue not-for-profit health system, including creating its revenue diversification agenda, leading a programmatic M&A agenda, and launching multiple new businesses, including a healthcare data start-up and a services and technology-oriented subsidiary
  • implementing an operations-oriented growth agenda for a >$10 billion annual revenue not-for-profit health system with a focus on building its clinical workforce engagement and care-coordination capabilities
  • advising the leadership of several large not-for-profit health systems on their long-term strategy and M&A agenda, as well as their top-team structures and operating models

Since joining McKinsey, Neil has served clients in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Prior to McKinsey, Neil worked at Milbank, the O’Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law, and the Lancet Commission on Investing in Health.

Neil enjoys long-distance running and has completed over 15 marathons, winning two. He’s also an avid supporter of the Michigan Wolverines.

Published work

US healthcare: Navigating through the headwinds,” McKinsey & Company, February 2025

How healthcare entities can use M&A to build and scale new businesses,” McKinsey & Company, January 2025

2024 healthcare services outlook: Challenges and opportunities,” McKinsey & Company, November 2022

US health systems: Diversify to thrive,” McKinsey & Company, November 2022

Overcoming the cost of healthcare transformation through partnerships,” McKinsey & Company, August 2022

Unlocking value in large-deal healthcare M&A: How to achieve transformation during integration,” McKinsey & Company, September 2021

Healthcare’s evolving chessboard: M&A capabilities to accelerate long-term strategy,” McKinsey & Company, June 2021

Revisiting the access imperative,” McKinsey & Company, May 2018

Past experience

Milbank
Summer associate

Lancet Commission on Investing in Health
Research assistant

O'Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law
Fellow

Education

Harvard Law School
JD

University of Michigan
MPH, health policy and health care management
BA, English literature