PwC closes off city street for smashing 40-year anniversary celebrations
PwC Namibia’s current partners and associate directors joined by Alumni partners and associate directors to celebrate the auditing firm’s 40th anniversary. The PwC celebrations were unique, closing off a whole section of an inner-city street for the Gala Dinner.
From left to right: Hilda Basson-Namundjebo, PwC Alumni; Mr Hein Boegman, PwC Africa, Territory Senior Partner; Mr Lazarus Uaandja, deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperations, Hon Dr. Peya Mushelenga; the Right Honourable Prime Minister, Madam Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila; Ms Nangula Uaandja, PwC Namibia, Country Senior Partner; Mr Dion Shango, PwC Africa JV Regional Senior Partner, South Market Area and Stéfan Hugo, PwC Namibia, Partner.
In celebration of PwC Namibia’s 40 year anniversary which was on 01 July 2015, PwC hosted their Gala Dinner in Moltke Street between the PwC offices and the Ministry of Finance in Windhoek. The dinner was attended by the Right Honourable Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, other members of parliament, and representatives from the finance and business sectors along with a host of invited guests. Not to be outdone, Uaandja herself is a former Namibia Businesswoman of the Year.
The Gala Dinner, with its unusual venue, was an engaging evening, meant to honour the past, celebrate the present and serve as a springboard for the future. PwC, a firm that has been in existence pre and post- independence, has gone through many significant changes. Before independence, the firm was predominantly a white male organisation and now its demographics show a firm that is inclusive. 75% of our staff are from previously disadvantaged groups and women make up 66% of all employees. PwC Namibia believes in harnessing individual differences and integrating people from different backgrounds to ensure that our clients receive excellent services.
“This 40 year celebration marked not only our success as PwC but it signified 40 years of service to Namibia. As a firm we have been able to adjust to the nation’s needs, modifying ourselves to fit a bigger agenda – actively partnering with the government towards the vision of an economically independent Namibia, through raising leaders, imparting skills and discharging a considerable number of qualified individuals into the nation’s economy” said Uaandja.
“We know that it is important to give back to the community and as such we are supporting various projects, funded by our Omuhoko Trust, a Trust that all employees contribute into on a monthly basis and the firm matches the contributions dollar for dollar. The Isaiah, SPES, Jonathan Jacob and Nurturing Ground projects are some of the projects funded by the trust with the sole purpose of helping people living under the pressure of poverty” she said.
PwC, a professional services firm, originated from Hanekom & Kie founded in 1975 by the late Mr Gert Hanekom. After Independence, Hanekom became Namibia’s first Minister of Finance. Over the course of the past 40 years, the firm has gone through a number of significant mergers, leading to several brand changes. In 1991 Hanekom & Kie merged with the international firm Coopers & Lybrand, taking on that name, and in 1998 there was a worldwide merger of Coopers & Lybrand and Pricewaterhouse, forming PricewaterhouseCoopers. In 2010 the PricewaterhouseCoopers brand changed to PwC.
The firm offers a number of services including assurance, advisory and tax services. PwC’s business school offers training in various skills such as Professional Customer Care, Organising Work Flow and Time Mastery, Business Writing for Professionals and provide Survey & Research services.
“The PwC global network exist to build trust in society and solve important problems, this is a mandate we hold very dear to our hearts at PwC Namibia. This Gala Dinner was important to us as we commemorate 40 years of service to the nation, and look ahead to what the future has in store for us and all our stakeholders” concluded Uaandja.
