Dubai, 22 December 2016:

PwC Middle East, one of the world's leading professional services firms with over 4,000 people and 21 offices across the region, has appointed global digital transformation expert Steve Plimsoll as its Chief Digital & Data Officer.

With 20 years of experience, Steve specialises in using data and technology to design, deliver and execute customer centric disruptive digital solutions with a particular focus on integrating previously siloed capabilities to enable transformative, successful business change and value. He also has expertise in translating emerging technologies into bottom-line business benefits and designing new and differentiating global multi-channel customer centric data and technology strategies.

Prior to his move to the Middle East, Steve was PwC UK’s Digital Strategy and Transformation Consulting Leader, advising clients in the Retail, Consumer, Industrial Production and Services sectors.

Steve joined the PwC network in 2015 from WPP/Mindshare, where he was Chief Technology Officer (CTO) responsible for the company’s global technology and data vision, client consulting activities and the development and implementation of the company’s global technology product and information technology systems. Previously, Steve held various positions in the digital, data & technology disruption fields including Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) & Vice President Consulting & Marketing Services for Acxiom, Global Head of Digital for FutureBrand and EMEA CTO & Head of Technology Enablement for Digitas.

At PwC Middle East, Steve will be responsible for the firm’s digital and data strategy, driving the business change that will underpin PwC Middle East’s growth across all business areas from Strategy and Consulting to Audit and Assurance, to ensure ongoing exceptional client service delivery and strengthen the firm’s agility and responsiveness in a fast-changing, dynamic and ever more demanding landscape.  

Hani Ashkar, PwC Middle East Senior Partner, said:

“PwC Middle East is transforming itself for the digital age that is reshaping the market and region as a whole. In today’s dynamic and ever-changing world, we are reinforcing our trusted presence by being ever more data driven, agile and highly responsive to the needs of our clients regionally. Steve has proven global expertise that will contribute tremendously to the firm’s growth.”

Commenting on his appointment, Steve Plimsoll said:

“We need to stop thinking about digital strategies and digital proposition and think about business transformation for the digital age – digital should be a “little d”. Success will not be through building teams and capabilities that sit in silos but creating enablers that will adapt, disrupt, transform, and then disappear.”

Steve has won multiple internationally recognised awards in strategy and effective and transformational / disruptive use of data and technology and is a regular speaker on the global stage.

Born and raised in Cape Town, South Africa, he has a bachelor’s degree in War Studies with Applied Computing from King’s College London, University of London in the UK and is an avid rugby fan and geek.

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About PwC
At PwC, our purpose is to build trust in society and solve important problems. We’re a network of firms in 157 countries with more than 223,000 people who are committed to delivering quality in assurance, advisory and tax services. Find out more and tell us what matters to you by visiting us at www.pwc.com.

Established in the Middle East for 40 years, PwC has firms in Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Oman, the Palestinian territories, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, with around 4,000 people. (www.pwc.com/me ).

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