BrazilPwC welcomes more than 300 graduate recruits across Middle East
The Middle East offices of professional services firm PwC have welcomed 322 new faces as part of the firm’s annual graduate intake – with over 100 of those joining in Saudi Arabia.
Following yet another year of bumper growth – with local revenues jumping by more than 19 percent for fiscal 2019 – PwC Middle East has also now extended its headcount with 322 fresh graduates joining the professional services firm across its twelve regional branches. The injection of young talent sees PwC’s Middle East headcount push toward the 6,000 mark – up from from 4,200 less than two years ago.
“We are committed to developing young talent as part of our continued confidence to invest in the region,” said PwC Middle East People Partner Emma Campbell. “At PwC, we are proud to provide the opportunity for graduates to be themselves, to work on their individual growth and to unlock their potential by offering them a fulfilling career and a rewarding professional journey within the firm.”
According to PwC, as an indication of its commitment to developing local talent, 40 percent of its new recruits are GCC nationals (with almost 90 percent being Arabic speakers), including all 104 of those joining PwC in Saudi Arabia, every one of them a Saudi citizen. Meanwhile, women make up almost half of the regional intake, with this ratio at 35 percent for the Saudi Arabian batch.
“Our graduates represent the future of our firm,” said PwC Middle East Senior Partner Hani Ashkar. “Each year, we work hard to ensure that our graduate mix is balanced and diverse, representing the region we operate in. Our commitment to developing young talent in the region is a testament to our continued confidence in the market and their ability to lead through times of change.”
The 100 percent Saudi national profile of the new graduates entering PwC’s local office is a first for the firm, and follows shortly after its launch of a range of employment initiatives aimed at attracting, developing and retaining Saudi professionals while encouraging their progress toward leadership positions. Incentives include added payments for travel and bonuses to celebrate career milestones.
Almost half of the PwC personnel in Saudi Arabia are now local nationals. “We are also extremely proud of the fact that almost 35 percent of our new grads are women; our desire to help build the future female leaders of tomorrow continues to be a key priority,” said PwC KSA leader Riyadh Al-Najjar. “I look forward to welcoming our new joiners as they embark on their journey with PwC.”
The firm-wide recruits recently gathered in Dubai for an induction session – an event Ashkar described as always his most favorite of the year – where they interacted closely with PwC’s Middle East Leadership team and received an overview of the firm and its strategy. “So proud to welcome 322 graduates today,” Ashkar said, “class of 2019! Wishing them all the best as they embark on their careers.”
