This is a profile image of Lieven Van der Veken

Lieven Van der Veken

Senior PartnerLyon

Global leader of QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey; draws on his extensive experience working around the world helping leading institutions in life sciences and beyond tackle challenges in strategy, growth, innovation, and change while leveraging the full power of data and analytics

Lieven is a senior partner and leads QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey, globally and in Europe. A doctor by training, he is a member of our Life Sciences Practice and serves clients across Europe, North America, Asia, and Africa.

Lieven has extensive experience in designing and executing ambitious change journeys, with a particular focus on pharmaceutical companies and biotech as well as public health institutions. For many years, he has led McKinsey’s digital and analytics work across the value chain in life sciences, as well as our global team supporting R&D organizations. He has helped some of the world’s most preeminent institutions leverage the full potential of AI and data while fundamentally changing how teams operate, innovate, and collaborate.

Before joining McKinsey, Lieven qualified as a doctor at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven and completed an MSc and MPhil in neuroscience at Columbia University. He also worked as a fellow with Columbia’s technology transfer office and as an intern with the Belgian Embassy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Published work

Faster, smarter trials: Modernizing biopharma’s R&D IT applications,” McKinsey & Company, February 2025

Rewired pharma companies will win in the digital age,” McKinsey & Company, June 2023

Top ten observations from 2022 in life sciences digital and analytics,” McKinsey & Company, January 2023

How Daiichi Sankyo Europe drives growth with digital and analytics,” McKinsey & Company, January 2023

Quarterly value releases: Transforming pharma through digital and analytics—fast,” McKinsey & Company, December 2022

How AI can accelerate R&D for cell and gene therapies,” McKinsey & Company, November 2022

Measuring preparedness: Are public health systems ready for the next pandemic?,” McKinsey & Company, October 2022

Accelerating pandemic response efforts: An interview with CEPI’s Richard Hatchett,” McKinsey & Company, October 2021

Finding solidarity in an effort to vaccinate the world,” McKinsey & Company, July 2021

A call to action: Opportunities and challenges for CGTs in Europe,” McKinsey & Company, January 2021

The COVID-19 vaccines are here: What comes next?,” McKinsey & Company, December 2020

COVID-19 and cell and gene therapy: How to keep innovation on track,” McKinsey & Company, August 2020

Not the last pandemic: Investing now to reimagine public-health systems,” McKinsey & Company, July 2020

“Public-private partnerships: An untapped strategic lever,” Unlocking Pharma Growth (PDF–2.91 MB), McKinsey & Company, 2012

Optimizing clinical strategy to drive lifetime brand value” (PDF–87.5 KB), McKinsey & Company, August 2011

Education

University of Columbia
MPhil in neurobiology

University of Columbia
MA in neurobiology

Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
MD in medicine