2016 Sponsor of the Year, PwC Hungary

Nick, PwC has been by the side of the RBIF for many years now, from the beginning in fact. What made PwC get involved in the first place?

PwC has always been conscious of our responsibility to the communities we work in. If I recall correctly one of our pioneering Partners Mike Birch OBE saw the opportunity for us to use our professional services to support a very noble and important cause and we have been proud to be associated with RBIF as a firm and personally as Partners ever since.

After so many years of support it was an obvious choice for us to make PwC our “Sponsor of the Year” at the Burns Supper in 2017. This meant you received the trophy from our Honorary President Sir Alex Ferguson in Manchester. Can you describe your experience at Old Trafford that day?

I can only describe our trip to Manchester as the experience of a lifetime. Zoltán Magyar is a legend at Old Trafford, respected by so many there, and he ensured that this was a weekend never to forget. They say you should never meet your heroes, that is definitely not correct with respect to Sir Alex! He really is a special human being, not just in terms of his achievements but also as someone truly down to earth and engaging. The hour he spent with us was simply incredible, full of stories of family and friends and laughter. His friendship with Zoltán, respect for Ferenc Puskás and support for the RBIF clearly shines through.

PwC played a crucial role in the projects of the RBIF in 2016 with a significant donation. Why is the RBIF one of your chosen charities and what does PwC benefit from the partnership?

It is impossible not to be touched by the work RBIF does for children. Our firm recognizes the responsibility we have to the families of our staff and can see no better way to make a meaningful contribution than by donating to where our support impacts children directly. RBIF facilitates that in a way that few others can.

The RBIF clearly aligns with PwC’s CSR initiatives. What would you say to any other Hungarian or multinational business considering sponsorship of the RBIF in the future?

For any company wanting to make a difference for those who really matter then the RBIF is a great partner in making that happen.