SAO Sponsor Spotlight: PricewaterhouseCoopers

PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) was created by the merger of two great firms -- Price Waterhouse and Coopers & Lybrand -- each with historical roots going back some 150 years. Building on the legacy of these two venerable firms, PricewaterhouseCoopers today embarks on a mission to demonstrate that its people, processes, and ability to understand its clients' and the market's needs will help shape the future of business. 

PricewaterhouseCoopers is a globally integrated professional service firm with broad experience in serving multinational companies. PwC is the largest professional service firm in the world, with more than 150,000 professionals in 167 countries. In the U.S. alone, the firm offers 2,200 partners and 27,000 professional staff to provide clients across all industries with a full range of business advisory services. PwC has been an integral part of the local business community for over 80 years in the Portland, Oregon office. PwC has a staff of over 175 people, with a resident management group of 8 partners, 7 directors and 30 managers and senior managers. In addition, several nonresident partners and other specialists work in Portland on a regular basis to provide PwC’s local clients with additional industry expertise.

Current endeavors

The challenges that CEOs perceive are -- perhaps not surprisingly -- the same issues that we at PricewaterhouseCoopers confront every day. They include creating and preserving value in a highly competitive environment, navigating a wave of new regulation and motivating and taking care of their key people. Every day, PwC’s people apply what PwC likes to call Connected Thinking on behalf of its clients and within its own organization to meet those business challenges and demonstrate true leadership.

Future of PwC

One of PwC’s ongoing priorities is to look ahead at the "Future of PwC." To do this, PwC analyzes business, industry, technological, demographic, and other trends in the US and other countries; tries to anticipate what all of the changes might mean for its clients; begins to plan and develop the relevant products and services that can help clients succeed; and determines what kinds of skills and knowledge its people need to meet its clients’ expectations -- now and in the future. Recently, PwC has undertaken an extensive and intensive strategic review that has helped fine-tune its investment strategy -- not only to better serve its clients, but also to grow the firm.