RIYADH: PwC Middle East intends to expand by opening new branches in major Saudi cities, following the inauguration of its regional headquarters in the capital, Riyadh, last December, according to Mostafa Gad, the firm’s government and public sector partner, who spoke to Al Eqtisadiah.

The company currently has a presence through branches distributed across five Saudi cities, including Riyadh, Jeddah, and Al Khobar, with the opening of a new branch in AlUla. 

Gad confirmed that Saudi Arabia represents one of the most important destinations and markets on which the company is focused to strengthen its business, given its position as one of the region’s leading economies. 

He noted that national talent accounts for more than 54 percent of the total workforce across the company’s branches in Saudi Arabia, with plans to increase this percentage in the future. 

Gad explained that the company’s activities are primarily focused on consulting services and financial auditing, as PwC maintains strategic partnerships with both the public and private sectors to support the objectives of Vision 2030, a path the company has been on since the vision was announced nearly 10 years ago. 

The company had announced the resumption of work on consulting services provided to the Public Investment Fund, following the end of the temporary ban imposed on it by the fund. 

Regarding the company’s latest work in the labor market field, Gad said the firm reviewed the results of an annual study targeting employees in four countries, led by Saudi Arabia, to monitor developments in the labor market in the Middle East region. 

The study revealed notable data related to job security. While there may be a prevailing belief that the current generation of the workforce does not place great importance on job security, the results showed that 85 percent of young people in Saudi Arabia place it at the top of their priorities, a percentage that exceeds the global average of 79 percent. 

PwC is considered one of the world’s professional services networks and is a member of what is known as the “Big Four” in accounting and consulting, alongside Deloitte, Ernst & Young, and KPMG. 

The company’s headquarters is located in London, and it operates in 136 countries through more than 700 offices worldwide. The company’s work focuses on auditing accounts and financial statements and ensuring compliance with international standards, in addition to strategic consulting, digital transformation, cybersecurity, and risk management.