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Oliver Tonby

Senior PartnerSingapura

Advises oil and gas, energy, and industrial clients on strategic, development, and operations issues; member of Singapore’s Future Economy Council

Oliver is a core leader of McKinsey's Innovation & Learning Centers in Singapore, an Industry 4.0–focused model factory that drives digital transformation of companies in Southeast Asia. He was previously the chairman of McKinsey’s offices in Asia, including in Australia, India, Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia, as well as the regional leader for Southeast Asia and the global coleader for McKinsey’s firmwide All-In initiative, which develops and shares innovative ways of working that promote gender inclusivity and women’s leadership.

Since joining McKinsey, Oliver has worked across multiple industries, including energy and materials, industrials, private equity, and technology. He has worked alongside clients on large scale, integrated transformation and growth—including internationalization, organizational development, leadership development, operational improvement, strategic planning, and mergers and acquisitions. Oliver also has deep expertise in the markets of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), having served governments, government-linked agencies, and some of Southeast Asia’s largest companies.

In addition to serving clients, Oliver has a significant interest in developing local companies into regional and global champions. He is passionate about Asian companies succeeding as entrants to the global marketplace and has spoken widely to business councils and in major regional conferences on these issues, including the World Economic Forum on ASEAN and the ASEAN Business and Investment Summit. Oliver is also a frequent commentator on regional growth, having authored the McKinsey Global Institute (MGI) report, Southeast Asia at the crossroads: Three paths to prosperity.

Oliver holds several leadership and advisory roles. He is a member of Singapore’s Future Economy Council, which is chaired by Singapore’s finance minister and comprises members from government, industry, union, and educational and training institutions. At McKinsey, he is a member of the MGI Council, which advises the think tank’s research on global economic, business, and technology trends.

Published work

The path to net zero: Investing in carbon markets,” McKinsey & Company, January 2022

Five windows of opportunity for postpandemic Asia,” McKinsey & Company, October 2021

How Asia can prepare for the future of work after COVID-19,” McKinsey & Company, April 2021

Climate risk and response in Asia,” McKinsey Global Institute, November 2020

Countering the gender-regressive shock of COVID-19 in Asia,” Financial Times, August 2020

The future of Asia: Decoding the value and performance of corporate Asia,” McKinsey & Company, June 2020

Could the next normal emerge from Asia?,” McKinsey & Company, April 2020

Reflections on #Davos20: The forces, opportunities and challenges that lie ahead as the world’s center of gravity shifts to Asia in the 2020s,” LinkedIn, January 2020

Corporate Asia: A capital paradox,” McKinsey & Company, January 2020

The future of Asia: Asian flows and networks are defining the next phase of globalization,” McKinsey Global Institute, September 2019

Asia’s future is now,” McKinsey Global Institute, July 2019

Outperformers: High-growth emerging economies and the companies that propel them,” McKinsey Global Institute, September 2018

The power of parity: Advancing women’s equality in Asia Pacific,” McKinsey Global Institute, April 2018

Industry 4.0: Reinvigorating ASEAN manufacturing for the future,” McKinsey & Company, February 2018

Artificial Intelligence and Southeast Asia’s Future,” McKinsey Global Institute, September 2017

Turbulence Ahead: Renewing Consensus Amidst Greater Volatility,” McKinsey Global Institute, September 2016

Three paths to sustained economic growth in Southeast Asia,” McKinsey Global Institute, November 2014

Ten ideas to reshape Indonesia’s energy sector,” (PDF–525 KB), McKinsey & Company, September 2014

Media

More than 40% of work tasks will be automated,” CNBC Street Signs, April 2017

Past experience

Shell
Development engineer

Norsk Hydro
Negotiations and representation

Norwegian Army
Infantry

Education

INSEAD
MBA

Norwegian Institute of Science and Technology
MSc, biochemical engineering