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PwC expands Microsoft team as it looks to scale up capability
Tue, 21st Sep 2021
FYI, this story is more than a year old

PwC New Zealand has announced the appointments of Hamish Dobson and Phil Hu to its Technology Consulting Alliances team as the firm continues to scale up its Microsoft capability.

Hamish Dobson joins PwC as director - technology consulting, and Phil Hu takes on the role of associate director - technology consulting. Both are aligned to PwC NZ's Microsoft Practice.

Dobson, a senior professional, has more than 15 years industry experience and joins from a leading New Zealand systems integrator. There he ran a national architecture and consulting business along with holding a variety of architecture, consulting, and delivery roles. He brings with him significant experience leading complex programmes of work across multiple industries including health, agriculture, and the public sector.

Hu is an enterprise business applications professional with 15 years experience with Enterprise Microsoft ERP. In his last role he led and delivered Dynamics AX and Dynamics 365 finance - operations engagements for a leading New Zealand systems integrator, and provided strategic advisory for customers across their ERP transformation journey. Hu has worked across all industries and sectors, with more recent roles across primary industries.

"Following the commitment to bring the PwC Microsoft Global Alliance to New Zealand earlier in 2021, PwC continues to boost its expertise across the Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Power Apps portfolio and scale up its capability across intelligent automation, data and analytics and cybersecurity," the company says.

"This will empower the firm to continue supporting clients' large scale digital and business transformation, enabled by Microsoft technologies."

PwC markets and alliances partner Tracy Taylor says the team is delighted to have seasoned Microsoft experts Dobson and Hu join, who will act as architects across the Microsoft platform.

"Along with our wider technical capability investments and significant global resources, these appointments amplify our ability to develop innovative, industry-specific solutions to tackle the big challenges facing Aotearoa," Taylor says.

"PwC and Microsoft have aligned on priority sectors and this gives us confidence that our solutions can help accelerate and deliver the outcomes sought through the significant transformations sectors such as health, education and primary industries are undergoing."

Taylor says PwC recognises its fortune in securing talent such as Dobson and Hu - along with other recent hires - and has committed to helping develop a significant onshore workforce.

"Alongside making experienced hires, PwC is opening up diverse career pathways that will contribute to building a significant onshore workforce with Microsoft - other technology Alliance expertise.

"With closed borders and high demand for roles its clear that we need a different approach to addressing the skills shortage. There is a huge opportunity to think differently on how and where to find talent, and to remove the barriers of entry."

PwC decided to challenge the idea that the only way into a career is via a university qualification and, working closely with its Alliance partners. launched the Ignite programme earlier this year and earlier this month announced a partnership with GirlBoss.

Ignite is designed to open the door for a diverse range of perspectives and skills that PwC needs to better serve its clients and their communities in the long-term.

"PwC is committed to diversity and inclusion - in particular gender diversity, ethnic diversity and diverse career paths. We want to attract and encourage people with unique experiences, to challenge the status quo and solve problems through innovative thinking. It also means we can grow and nurture talent for the digital future," it says.

"With this combination of experienced hires and hires via Ignite, PwC has significantly grown its Microsoft - other key Technology Alliances this year, and will continue to target growth at all levels to bring industry led solutions across Aotearoa."