The nickel-catalyzed benzylic substitution of benzyl alcohol derivatives with a soft carbon nucleophile is extremely rare compared to that with a hard carbon nucleophile. We have achieved the nickel-catalyzed benzylic substitution of benzyl esters with malonates as a soft carbon nucleophile. Primary and secondary benzyl 2,3,4,5,6-pentafluorobenzoates as well as a wide variety of malonate derivatives