Willem Gruyters

Meet our solvers

Can you tell us about yourself briefly?

I’m Willem, a Manager in the PwC Incentives Hub. I have an innate curiosity about science and technology, which is why I pursued a career as a bio-science engineer and later completed a PhD. Throughout my academic journey, I had the opportunity to engage with various funding authorities, gaining firsthand insight into the impact of external funding on research and development, and how it can accelerate innovation.

I’m eager to learn and am always looking to keep being ahead of the curve. I enjoy discovering new things while stepping out of my comfort zone, something that my current role within PwC allows me to do.

What does Community of Solvers mean to you personally?

When we are faced with a complex problem, I know we can tackle it head-on by relying on the diverse capabilities of our team and the PwC network. Additionally, our team collaborates with those from other business units within PwC, especially when we do not have the right expertise at hand.

Who are you in your spare time?

I’m a proud father of a three-year-old son and expecting another boy early April 2024. In my free time, I love to go for a run or a walk. I really enjoy good food and the company of friends.

How did you end up at PwC and what exactly do you do?

Via LinkedIn, I received a short message from a recruiter working at PwC. They informed me of an interesting job vacancy and asked if I might be interested in finding out more. I decided to take the leap of faith and start the recruitment process. After the first conversation, I was intrigued to know more about what PwC could offer me, and in return, what I could offer PwC. At the time, I was still under the impression that my academic profile didn’t fit within PwC. Now I know it was the perfect fit for the job they hired me to do.

Currently, I work as a manager at PwC Incentives Hub where I assist the team as an R&D expert. During initial client conversations, my background allows me to quickly identify relevant funding opportunities for the client, both at a regional and European scale. With my expertise, I can easily understand what they are doing and what they are trying to achieve in their R&D, innovation and investment projects. My professional experiences and scientific background allows me to efficiently manage and coordinate various projects at the same time. By having a holistic view on the project, I’m able to translate the technical, commercial and business context of the project into a successful funding application.

Can you tell us something about your team/collaboration/colleagues/the open culture at PwC?

On Monday mornings, we connect virtually during a team meeting call to discuss the upcoming workload, but we always make time to check in about our weekends. Our core team is composed of scientific, business-related and typical fiscal profiles. As we are spread across the country, we often work from home and frequently connect virtually. On Wednesdays and Thursdays, we have our office days at the Ghent office or Brussels Campus, respectively.

Is there room for growth and personal development at PwC?

With your coach, you can easily open the discussion on your professional growth and he/she thinks together with you on how to achieve the goals you set for yourself. This ensures your continued growth on both a professional and personal level.

Within our team, it is highly encouraged to improve your hard skills by staying up to date with the latest developments in the incentives landscape and monitoring the changing European and regional policies. Next to that, there is also ample room to improve your soft skills. This can be done via both internal learning and external training.

What would you like to say to your future colleagues?

Dare to take a leap of faith and step outside your comfort zone. Push yourself to learn new things as it will allow an accelerated personal growth. Be ambitious but always remain true to yourself.