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Alberto Chaia

Senior PartnerMiami

Alberto Chaia

Senior PartnerMiami

Works with clients in Mexico, Latin America and globally to develop strategies for economic development, financial inclusion and education

Alberto has deep experience in financial inclusion. In 1995, he served in the Ministry of Finance for Mexico as the program leader for establishing rural banks. Since joining McKinsey in 2002, he has led economic development and financial inclusion projects in the Americas, EMEA and Asia.

Recently, Alberto's focus has been on helping clients to develop low-income banking and microfinance programs. These have included: creating financial services centers across one of the largest retail chains in Latin America; identifying potential customers for a large development bank in Mexico—with the aim of marketing products tailored to their credit needs; and reviewing strategy and operations at two of the largest mortgage banks in Mexico, with the goal of increasing their reach into low-income communities.

In addition to his work in economic development and financial inclusion, Alberto works extensively in the education sector. Recent projects include helping a foundation define an intervention strategy to support gifted students, working with an academic medical center to develop its vision for the future, and assisting a major Latin American university define its strategy for distance learning.

Alberto serves as an adviser to the Financial Access Initiative (FAI), which supports development economists focused on expanding access to quality financial services for low-income individuals. He also sits on the board of two foundations in Mexico focused on improving education and nutrition among the disadvantaged.

Published work

Assessing the impact of Hurricanes Helene and Milton on small businesses,” McKinsey & Company, October 2024

Mapping the road to prosperity and parity for Black and Latino residents across America,” McKinsey & Company, March 2024

How Mexico can become Latin America’s digital-government powerhouse,” McKinsey & Company, November 2018

From millions to billions: Achieving full financial inclusion,” Global Financial Inclusion, McKinsey & Company, Fall 2010

A new idea in banking for the poor,” McKinsey Quarterly, November 2010

Creating change at scale through public-private partnerships,” McKinsey & Company, September 2009

Counting the world’s unbanked,” McKinsey Quarterly, March 2010

Half the world is unbanked,” Financial Access Initiative Framing Note, October 2009

Promoting financial inclusion—Lessons from around the world,” a McKinsey white paper, April 2008

Past experience

Ministry of Finance
Chief of the Department of Economic Studies
1995-1997

Bank of Mexico
Visiting researcher
1991

Education

Columbia University
MPhil

Columbia University
MA

Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM)
BA