Olive mill wastewater (OMW) is rich in organic pollutants, particularly phenolic compounds (PC). Persulfate (PS)-based advanced oxidation processes have emerged as effective treatment methods. This study focused on optimizing PC removal using a catalytic Fenton-like process. A Plackett–Burman design was applied to screen key variables: PS and copper concentrations, reaction time, temperature, and initial pH. A central composite design with response surface methodology was then used to refine the process. The resulting second-order polynomial model showed excellent fit with experimental data. Under optimal conditions, a maximum PC removal efficiency of 62.09 % was achieved.