As part of PwC Scotland’s commitment to its Intelligent Digital Strategy and expanding its digital offering, the company has created a new director role based at its Edinburgh office. Douglas Shand has been appointed to the newly created role of Director of Technology and Innovation for Scotland.

The role is combined with a UK-wide Cybersecurity Development Director position as the firm responds to the increasing requirement for technology-driven solutions to address the growing threat of cyber attacks.

Shand will deliver a technology and investment strategy in Scotland to reinforce the company’s strategy, which aims to build partnerships with technology businesses that can both complement the firm’s propositions and deliver innovative solutions to existing and prospective clients.

Over 25 Years Tech Industry Experience

Shand, who joined PwC in 2015 as Head of Innovation Incentives for Scotland, has over 25 years of experience of working in technology, including a role as Director of Innovation at Oracle. He has won multiple global awards for his work within the industry and has supported numerous technology companies in many different sectors.

He will be responsible for driving six key themes of PwC’s Intelligent Digital strategy; Data and Analytics, The Future of Work, Tech for Good, Cyber Security, Accelerate Digital and Technology Impact, and Disruptive Innovation and Emerging Technology. More recently in 2017, he spearheaded a strategic alliance and investment with technology incubator Codebase.

Commenting on his appointment Douglas said: “I’m delighted to become the PwC’s first Director of Technology and Innovation, which reinforces our commitment to a rapidly changing digital environment for business. The fact the Scottish role is the first to have been created in the business also highlights how Scotland is at the forefront of our wider Intelligent Digital strategy.”

Lindsay Gardiner, Senior Partner and Regional Chairman for Scotland, commented: “Since Douglas arrived here, he has been instrumental in driving the technology agenda in our tax business. In this new position, he will take that development to the next level across all our lines of service.”