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Olivier Denecker

PartnerBrussels

Olivier Denecker

PartnerBrussels

Advises clients across the payments value chain, from transaction banks and central banks to digital attackers, payments processors, and merchants

Olivier is the director of knowledge for payments, serving our global clients on a wide variety of payment- and card-related topics. He has worked in the payments area since joining McKinsey in 1999, advising clients on their complex issues and managing payments-related projects and workshops.

Olivier's recent client projects include:

  • assisting a Northern European card-processing utility with the redesign of its product and services offerings across regions
  • helping a Southeast Asian banking association develop a national plan to accelerate the digital-payment evolution
  • leading major due-diligence efforts for top merchant acquirers and global payment-hardware specialists in Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East
  • supporting a European telecommunications player and a Northern European media specialist within the development of new digital-payment strategies
  • helping domestic payment-infrastructure players in several countries outline a strategic response to international payment developments

Olivier is also deeply involved in McKinsey’s payment and transaction-banking knowledge development, leading efforts on the profitability of markets, digital solutions, and regulatory trends. He is considered by many to be a key influencer in the industry and is a visible presence at high-profile conferences. He also serves on the editorial board of the firm’s McKinsey on Payments publication, to which he is a frequent contributor.

Published work

On the cusp of the next payments era: Future opportunities for banks,” McKinsey & Company, September 2023

Central bank digital currencies: An active role for commercial banks,” McKinsey & Company, October 2022

The chessboard rearranged: Rethinking the next moves in global payments,” McKinsey & Company, October 2022

The future of payments in the Middle East,” McKinsey & Company, August 2021

Accelerating winds of change in global payments,” McKinsey & Company, October 2020

How payments can adjust to the coronavirus pandemic—and help the world adapt,” McKinsey & Company, March 2020

Global payments: Expansive growth, targeted opportunities,” McKinsey & Company, October 2018

Attacking the cost of cash,” McKinsey on Payments, August 2018

Global payments 2017: Amid rapid change, an upward trajectory,” McKinsey & Company, October 2017

The digital battle that banks must win,” McKinsey & Company, August 2014

“Emerging Payments Opportunities in the Middle East and Africa,” Putting Growth Back on The Banking Agenda, Sibos, September 2013

“Reinventing market infrastructures,” Putting Growth Back on The Banking Agenda, Sibos, September 2013

Forging a path to payments digitization,” McKinsey on Payments, March 2013 (PDF–324 KB)

“Card processing in Europe: Dead or alive,” McKinsey on Payments, June 2012 (PDF–121 KB)

“The road to mobile payments services,” McKinsey on Payments, September 2011 (PDF–121 KB)

A new dawn in Middle East payments,” Cash & Trade, January/February 2011

Education

Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
BS, masters in commercial engineering