As the leader of McKinsey’s banking and securities work in Asia, Jacob’s work is driven by the belief that a well-functioning financial-services sector is a critical enabler of growth and development. He works with major financial-services companies, including banks, insurers, and asset managers across the region on their key strategic issues.
Over more than 2 decades with the firm, Jacob has predominantly worked within McKinsey’s Financial Services Practice in Western Europe and Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EEMA). He also led McKinsey’s European retail-banking work for 5 years, and subsequently our Financial Services Practice in EEMA for 4 years.
Before moving to China, Jacob lived in Johannesburg for 7 years, where he developed a pan-African corporate- and investment-banking expansion strategy for a key institution in the sector, led a performance-improvement program for a major African bank, and helped manage the merger of two African banks.
Prior to South Africa, Jacob was based in Denmark, where he helped financial institutions throughout Europe with both strategic and operational transformations.
Published work
“Lessons from Asian banks on their coronavirus response,” McKinsey & Company, March 2020
“Wealth management in Asia: Navigating the impact of coronavirus,” McKinsey & Company, March 2020
“How Asia is reinventing banking for the digital age,” McKinsey & Company, February 2020
“Asian asset management: Protecting and creating value in disruptive times,” McKinsey & Company, September 2019
“Bracing for consolidation in Asia–Pacific banking: The quest for scale,” McKinsey & Company, June 2019
Past Experience
Carnegie Kreditinstitut
Head of private and corporate banking
Education
University of Copenhagen
MSc, macroeconomics