Best Human Capital Advisory Firm 2025 by Humakina: PwC Luxembourg recognised for its leadership in HR transformation

Winner of the Best Human Capital Advisory Firm 2025 at the Luxembourg HR Excellence Awards by Humakina, PwC Luxembourg was recognised for its ability to simplify complexity, support organisations through transformation, and elevate the people experience across all levels.

In this interview, Vinciane Istace, Advisory Partner, People Experience and Change Leader & People Process Outsourcing Leader, shares what this distinction represents for her teams, the concrete value delivered in 2025, and the priorities shaping HR transformation in 2026.

What does this recognition mean to your team?

This recognition holds special value for us, as it comes from the clients we have the privilege to support every day. Knowing that they took the time to acknowledge our teamwork makes it especially meaningful. It is a sign that the collaboration we have built together leads to appreciation and trust-based relationships.

While it is important to celebrate such an Award for the team morale, it is also key to it is also key to dare challenging our success, to learn from our failures, and to keep an attentive eye and ear on the forces shaping our clients’ needs.

In 2025, what concrete improvement did you bring to HR practices without adding complexity?

In 2025, we focused on helping our clients make HR practices clearer and easier to apply. We turned complex topics, such as new regulatory requirements like the EU Pay Transparency Directive, into practical steps that organisations could implement with confidence.

Beyond that, we supported our clients in optimising HR processes and designing compliant HR policies, implementing HRIS and payroll systems and guiding strategic workforce planning. We also enjoyed helping organisations progress toward more skills-based models, enabling them to better align competencies with business needs.

This year was also dedicated to ambitious leadership development programmes preparing leaders for a world mixing human and artificial intelligence. Guiding teams through change during digital and cultural transformation remains at the core of our practice for ensuring that new ways of working and new tools are understood, embraced, and sustained.

In a nutshell, our goal is to enable the best possible experience for people in any organisation, so that they can achieve their objectives, thrive professionally and turn strategy into action.

What will be your top priorities for 2026?

1. Making pay transparency a reality
   Help our clients turn regulation into business as usual, advocating that compliance can help build a culture of fairness and trust through greater transparency.
2. Transforming HR through technology
   Continue driving digital transformation by helping clients select and implement technology that enables smarter decisions for everyone in the organisation.
3. Developing the leaders of tomorrow
   Brainstorm with the C-suite to encourage behaviours reflecting the corporate values and to develop the leaders of tomorrow with the right skills, a growth mindset and bold authenticity.
   
   

What is one practical tip for HR leaders who want to move a people initiative forward quickly and safely?

Bring people in early, clarify the “why”, acknowledge the limitations and listen actively. Test ideas on a small scale, learn from the experience and adjust together. When people feel involved and heard, change moves faster and sticks longer.

Could you highlight one initiative you’re most proud of, and the outcomes it delivered?

We are particularly proud of the five-year Leadership Academy we built together with a global industrial client. By listening closely to their needs, we co-created a tailored program that resonated with their people. This program supported leaders across cultures, roles, and regions in deepening their leadership capabilities, embracing a growth mindset, and building a stronger sense of connection and alignment in how they lead.

Ultimately, this translated into measurable improvements in organisational and financial performance for the client.

About PwC Luxembourg

PwC Luxembourg is the country’s largest professional services firm, with over 3,600 people from around 90 countries, supporting organisations across audit, tax and advisory. Its teams help companies navigate regulatory complexity, strengthen governance, optimise operations and drive digital and organisational transformation. With deep sector expertise and a strong international network as part of the PwC global network, PwC Luxembourg delivers integrated solutions tailored to Luxembourg’s economic landscape.

About the “Best Human Capital Advisory Firm 2025” Award

This award is part of the Luxembourg HR Excellence Awards, which recognise partners driving tangible progress in people experience, HR maturity and organisational transformation. The “Best Human Capital Advisory Firm” category highlights consulting firms whose impact, expertise and client satisfaction set new standards in strategy, talent and change: helping organisations advance with confidence and elevate the role of HR.