Amid the excitement of getting back to a semblance of business as usual, you’re probably asking yourself a lot of questions—as in, what is the new normal and where do I go from here? This podcast is the next episode in a new series for CFOs, controllers—really, anyone in finance—asking big questions, like: how do we emerge from a crisis stronger than before?  Each week, we’ll focus on a different area that may need your focus in this period of recovery. This week, host Heather Horn sits down with Joe Atkinson, Vice Chair and Chief Products and Technology Officer at PwC, to discuss how investing in new tech tools helps to deliver more value and higher quality and grow your people’s skills.

Topics include:

0:50 - Getting your people ready. Are your people ready for a change? Bringing tech to the table can be challenging, so we begin with ways to drive adoption of new tools and new practices to get optimal opt in.

4:36 - Go big. The investment you make in digital goes beyond starting a new workstream or project. A true transformation effort is what Joe refers to as a saturation strategy. Here we discuss what is needed to give your digitally-enabled efforts staying power. 

14:35 - Citizen-led efforts. Citizen-led effort means giving your people a license to innovate. Joe highlights that teams need guidance and training in addition to tools and applications to make an impactful change. 

18:31 - Easier, smarter, better. Joe explains working around barriers and overcoming challenges.

27:18 - Future outlook. The willingness to engage and think differently can lead to big things. We close with the opportunities and upside ahead.

Joe Atkinson is the Vice Chair - Chief Products and Technology Officer. In this role, Joe is responsible for leading the firm through the next wave of digital transformation. This includes accelerating our growth in go-to-market products and digital solutions, as well as firmwide technology capabilities.

Heather Horn is PwC’s National office thought leader, responsible for developing our communications strategy and conveying firm positions on accounting and financial reporting matters. She is the engaging host of PwC’s accounting and reporting weekly podcast and quarterly webcast series, as well as periodic webcasts for the power and utilities industry. With over 25 years of experience, Heather’s accounting and auditing expertise includes financial instruments and rate-regulated accounting.

Transcripts available upon request for individuals who may need a disability-related accommodation. Please send requests to [email protected].