Meet Alena, a Senior Manager at PwC Switzerland. She's learned a lot about what helps you grow in your career: staying flexible, working well with others and stepping up when challenges come your way. Here, she shares her advice on building your career, leading teams and making an impact.
1 Tell us about your role
I have a hybrid role in the Risk & Regulatory platform in Advisory. I basically cover three main things.
First, I'm a specialist in regulatory banking topics, so I focus on financial risk management and lead audit support work. Second, I advise clients on things like licensing projects. For example, if a foreign bank wants to get a banking licence for a Swiss branch, I help them with that. Or I'll guide them on implementing new regulatory standards. Third, I'm the Engagement Manager for two banking groups, so I lead the audit on their financial and regulatory work.
2 What makes your role different?
I get to connect two worlds. I work with diverse clients, so I have a broad and diverse knowledge that I can bring into my different roles, mandates and projects. That means our recommendations aren't just innovative, they're based on what's happening in the real world. Being able to work in both audit and advisory really sets my role apart. And it helps me deliver solutions that create real momentum for clients.
3 Tell us about your team. What makes it special?
Our team is a mix of backgrounds, perspectives and experiences. That’s what drives our creativity and how we solve problems. When you bring different viewpoints together, you can look at challenges from every angle. This builds trust and empathy because we're always learning from each other.
For us at PwC, trust is absolutely at the core of what we do. We build that trust through how we work together and the expertise we bring.
Here's what always surprises people: clients don't expect how invested we are in their long-term success. We don’t just deliver a project and disappear. We're here to build real partnerships and help clients adapt and thrive as things change.
4 How do you approach leadership and working with others?
For me, leadership isn't just about getting results. It's about bringing people together and breaking down those barriers between teams. I'm always encouraging teamwork across different teams, platforms and service lines because honestly, the best ideas come from getting different perspectives in the room.
One thing I've really learned is that kindness and respect always come back to you. We've got a huge network at PwC, and collaboration is absolutely at the heart of how we work. When you build strong, positive relationships, it doesn't just make the environment better, it actually drives better results for everyone.
5 What's the toughest part of your job?
As roles change, you've got to stay flexible and keep adapting. I've pushed myself out of my comfort zone quite a bit, and that's how I keep growing.
The real challenge, and honestly the most rewarding part, is helping clients solve problems they don't even know they have yet. It's not always about fixing the obvious things. It's about spotting those hidden opportunities and delivering solutions that actually make a difference. That's where the real impact is.
6 What advice would you give someone thinking about this kind of career?
"Develop a can-do attitude. At every level, there are people who are brilliant at spotting problems. But the ones who really stand out are the people who say, 'I'll handle it', no matter how big or small the challenge is."
Stay open, stay flexible and keep that learning mindset going. The learning curve is steep here, and there are endless opportunities to grow. But what you get out of it really depends on how motivated you are and whether you take the initiative. If you embrace the challenges and take action, you'll make the most of this time and you'll be ready to take on bigger things with real confidence.
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