Since opening its local office, the firm has organized several professional forums in the area, supporting the development of the region’s ecosystem and the sustainable operation of local businesses through its services. It has also signed a cooperation agreement with the Faculty of Economics and Business at the University of Debrecen, aiming to contribute its expertise to both theoretical and practical education.

At the Business Forum, two professional awards were presented: the ‘Excellence in Business Award’ and the ‘Future Enterprise Excellence Award.’ The stage featured key figures from the local business scene, including the mayor and deputy mayor of Debrecen, inspiring business leaders, and Olympic athletes. Afternoon workshops offered first-hand insights into potential areas of collaboration between the business sector and the University of Debrecen, as well as directions for the development and growth of SMEs.

In his opening speech, László Radványi, CEO of PwC Hungary, highlighted the region’s economic success as a reason to celebrate and noted that local business leaders set an example for other companies in competitiveness, technology, and education. Regarding the increasingly complex and unpredictable business environment, he highlighted:

“The world has not become easier to understand, slower, or more stable since last year – quite the opposite. Whether we are leading companies, educational institutions, or other organizations, regardless of the size of the ship we steer, we are faced with increasingly large waves and must make ever more rapid decisions. This may not have been what we imagined agility or flexibility would look like, but this is what we are all learning now,” the CEO pointed out.

According to PwC’s 14th Hungarian CEO Survey, business leaders in Eastern Hungary expect only a 1.4% growth in domestic GDP, which is lower than the national average of 1.8%, and anticipate an average EUR exchange rate of 416 HUF by 2025. Their concerns notably exceed the national sample in two key areas:65% are worried about the shortage of skilled labor (compared to 44% nationally), and 25% consider the impacts of climate change to be critical (versus 13% nationwide).

They are less concerned about the disruptive impact of technology (25% compared to the national 35%), but trust in artificial intelligence (AI) is significantly lower in the region- only 5% compared to the national average of 38%. At the time of the survey (December 2024), 45% of local companies had no experience with AI, and 20% had no plans to implement any such solutions in 2025.

“In today’s uncertain times, unity, collaboration, and dialogue play an especially important role. Debrecen’s dynamic growth is driven by the strength of local communities, the expanding activities of large, small, and medium-sized enterprises operating in the region, as well as the educational, research, and innovation background provided by institutions and the University of Debrecen. All of these factors play a key role and jointly contribute to the successes and achievements of the future,” emphasized Tünde Kis, director at PwC and Head of the Debrecen office.

Kis also highlighted the achievements of PwC in Debrecen so far: “Supporting local communities and educational institutions is also a key part of our work, in collaboration with the University of Debrecen. We place special emphasis on the development and growth opportunities of SMEs, working closely with the regional organization of the National Association of Entrepreneurs and Employers (VOSZ). We regularly organize professional events aimed at discussing strategic topics, regulatory changes, technological issues, and reviewing macroeconomic trends. Through the PwC Civil Mentoring Program, we provide professional support to civil organizations in the region, and we also contributed to the realization of the anniversary edition of TEDx Debrecen.”