Valentin goes aheader to move digital transformation into the mainstream

Valentin goes aheader to move digital transformation into the mainstream
Do you recall a specific moment that defined your future professional life? 
I actually quit a one-year travelling adventure I was about to embark on to start my career at PwC. When I got the surprising positive response after the first interview, I was already in Budapest. I did my second interview from there and the next thing I knew, I signed my contract with PwC and started a completely different journey than I had originally planned. This moment defined my future professional life profoundly – and I never regretted my move! Since then, the mutual trust has been rewarded countless times. 

What are your daily responsibilities?
It’s hard to describe a typical day, as each day is very different. I work in Financial Services Audit with a very diverse Geneva-based team. During my days, I interact with my clients, collaborate with my team colleagues, support colleagues from all over the PwC network with understanding of our IT systems, controls and reports in place. While on one day I conduct interviews, meetings and inquiries with my clients, on the other I’m reviewing their documentation or testing their controls and on the next, I’m working on an internal IT-related question.

And aside from my daily tasks, I’m a proud board member of our internal LGBTIQ+ network. The benefits from this work go both ways – since PwC encourages us to support social issues internally and externally, my work on the board also helped to broaden my network. 

What do you find fascinating about digital assurance and why?
Digital assurance evolves in a constantly changing environment in which we learn something new every day. Our work requires us to have a wide range of skills: we need to be able to understand an IT environment, from the IT infrastructure to the governance, to perceive how it’s interlinked with the business of our client. Constant personal development, adaptation to new challenges and creative thinking prepare us for the challenges of the future and shape the transformation of our work to lead in a world of innovation and technologies.

When will digital transformation become mainstream?
A lot of companies have just started the process of digital transformation, so it will still take a while to reach a digital “mainstream”. That’s where our work is centred: Every day I support my clients on their digital transformation journey. Building trust with clients is key to help them understand the advantages – not only the risks – new technologies offer. 

How do you perceive working with your clients?
All my clients are unique, and the quality of our work thrives when we build a foundation of trust, integrity and authenticity. In the business of trust, I think that the relationships we have with our clients are at the upmost importance and I put a lot of care in cultivating them. This leads then to great memories like a lovely raclette tasting in Valais with both our clients and our Digital Assurance team at a closing-mandate lunch.

What does “trust to go aheader” mean to you and how do you live it personally, in your team, and in Digital Assurance?
Digital Assurance is about providing trust, which is central for regulators, the general public and our clients. I go aheader every day, to move digital transformation into the mainstream. As a team, we trust in each other and in our evolution, we’re eager to explore the future and to stay on top of the game! For our clients we strive to question the status quo, to speak up when there’s an issue, to give our best and invest in our and the clients’ development. This empowers me to push our unique approach to information technology, and to help my clients make good business decisions. 

What makes Digital Assurance at PwC Switzerland especially challenging and exciting?
Since we work with a wide diversity of clients, who have very different approaches on how they use information technology, my job always remains challenging and exciting. At PwC Switzerland we’re given the tools to keep up with technological changes, to constantly develop our abilities and to rely on support within our team and across the company.

uniboard.ch - gemeinsam studieren ist besser
Nachhaltiger studentischer Austausch über die Grenzen von Hochschulen, Studienrichtungen und Jahrgängen hinweg - kostenlos, anonym, seit 2002.
join us