Leo Sizaret is a global nomad who joined our Amsterdam office in 2021 where he specializes in Digital Assets.
You have lived in quite a few counties. Why did you choose to study in the Netherlands and join Oliver Wyman shortly after graduating?
The international environment is what attracted me to the Netherlands. Having grown up in France, Italy, and Portugal, I felt comfortable studying in a country where a large majority of the students were from outside the country. I completed my master's in Finance & Investments at Erasmus University and then decided to apply for a 4-month consulting internship at Oliver Wyman, which led me to switch from Rotterdam to Amsterdam and had me introduced to the Dutch biking culture.
Fast forward four months, and I decided to join Oliver Wyman full-time. I was uncertain about my post-study plans, but the internship turned out to be an incredibly positive experience, which made the decision easy for me. The colleagues I now work with, who have become my friends, and the engaging topics we work on convinced me to become a part of the company.
Working in Digital Assets
Within just a year at Oliver Wyman, I had the chance to focus on Digital Assets. It happened naturally as I connected with colleagues already involved in this area, and my local office supported me in pursuing my interests.
Nowadays, our work on Digital Assets mainly revolves around crypto and blockchain technology. We explore things like tokenization, custody of digital assets, programmable money protocols, and more. In a broader sense, I'm intrigued by how these technologies and social movements are changing the way we function and coordinate as a society. In practical terms, I've had the opportunity to collaborate with both crypto enthusiasts and traditional financial institutions at Oliver Wyman, which has been an interesting experience in bridging these two worlds together.
The combination of finance, technology, and the impact on society through Digital Assets is what excites me. I find it fascinating to see how these new solutions are reshaping financial systems and opening new possibilities.
What kind of projects are you working on?
I collaborate with various financial service institutions on digital asset strategy. This could be, for instance, working on the crypto and digital asset strategy for a large bank or designing the tokenization strategy for a global exchange. I also had the chance to co-author a number of reports. Earlier this year, we published the Deposit Tokens report in partnership with J.P. Morgan, which describes an emerging form of stable digital money known as blockchain-based deposit tokens. These tokens are blockchain representations of existing deposits held by banks and could become an important type of digital money we use in the future. Recently, we launched a report with UK Finance on the UK's role in tokenization. This report looks at how securities tokenization (the digital representation of real financial assets) will transform capital markets and international banking infrastructure.
What distinguishes Oliver Wyman most from other companies?
Initially, I was drawn to the firm because of the people. We’re curious, enjoy each other's company, support each other, and focus on meaningful work. Personally, it’s empowering to work with people who help me shape a path within Oliver Wyman after only a year.
