India crucial to PwC's growth strategy, says global advisory head
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Mumbai: India is not merely a component of PwC 's global footprint but has become central to the global consulting giant's efforts to scale managed services , integrate technology into major transformation programs, and redefine the scope of end-to-end consulting, a top executive said.The country has become pivotal to the evolving global service delivery model of the Big Four firms , according to Damir Maras, global advisory leader at PwC.'India has transformed into a strategic imperative for PwC, enhancing both our service delivery capabilities and expanding our market reach,' Maras told ET. 'In today's competitive landscape, when evaluating global acquisitions or partnerships, we often find that having a presence in India is essential.'He said PwC will benefit from a strong India presence in two ways: firstly, through the vast and exceptional talent pool, which can effectively deliver services at scale; and secondly, as a critical market for strategy-driven services, as the firm collaborates with a diverse range of Indian businesses—from conglomerates aiming for international growth to emerging enterprises seeking to expand their domestic presence.Advisory—spanning consulting, deals, and risk—has emerged as PwC's largest business segment, generating $23 billion of its $55 billion global revenue, and employing nearly 130,000 professionals worldwide.As professional services firms pivot to advisory, PwC has globally embraced a 'One Consulting' model—integrating management and tech consulting, data analytics, and cloud services—to meet clients' evolving and complex needs."As growth complexities increase, more CEOs are driving strategic transformation decisions,' Maras said. 'In response, our firm has shifted to provide holistic solutions encompassing both strategy and execution—a key differentiator for us. Unlike traditional strategy firms, we offer end-to-end outcomes by integrating strategy consulting with implementation capabilities.'Sanjeev Krishan, chairperson of PwC in India, said the Indian unit adopted the One Consulting model two years ago. 'The focus is no longer on siloed solutions like IT or functional services," he said.PwC's advisory business in India—which includes over 400 partners across consulting, deals, and risk services—now accounts for more than 65% of the firm's domestic revenue. 'Over the last three years, we've consistently achieved growth rates exceeding 25%,' Krishan said.The big debate within leading professional and consulting firms today centres on how AI will reshape both their internal operations and the way they deliver value to clients.Maras called AI a game changer and welcomed the shift from early hype to a more thoughtful, strategic approach. 'Initially, there were widespread concerns, but it's now clear that while AI will fundamentally reshape the world, it's not going to cause everything to collapse,' he said.With the right investments, AI offers a tremendous opportunity for PwC, Maras said.'In a world where AI is rewriting the rules of business, having a broad range of capabilities is more important than ever. The key now is to adopt a global mindset—invest in the right capabilities and strategically leverage our strengths as a global network,' he said.Maras said PwC is transitioning its global advisory strategy to prioritise strategic, value-driven engagements with C-suite leaders, moving beyond traditional, efficiency-focused services. 'This represents a significant shift for us, but it's central to our future direction,' he said. 'Our advisory services are positioned to drive substantial growth for PwC globally.'Krishan said India is set to play a pivotal role in the evolution of PwC's advisory business. 'India's depth of talent, technological maturity, and ability to support complex transformation projects at scale make it integral to PwC's global ambitions,' he said.
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