View from the top: A fresh view - On joining IIA Global’s  board of directors

Loud rhythmic drumming greeted attendees at the International Conference of IIA Global in Chicago, Illinois. It was a dramatic start and conveyed confidence and energy as well as an interest in cultural context – all elements that are important to the work of internal auditors.

So started my recent visit to the US as I took up my role as a member of the Global Board of The IIA. The global organisation is based in North America (with offices in Florida), and the Chartered IIA is one of the affiliate institutes. I was nominated and interviewed for the Global Board at the end of last year, and my place was confirmed in Chicago in July after an election at an open meeting of IIA members. It is an amazing privilege to sit around the table with board members from North America and seven other nations (Australia, Peru, Spain, France, Saudi Arabia, Japan and China).

Although I don’t formally represent the Chartered IIA, as I was appointed in a personal capacity, I will bring a UK and public sector perspective. Collaboration across nations can only bring a greater vibrancy and diversity of thought to our future professional practices.

Our week started with the International Conference which ran from Sunday to Wednesday, and continued with board meetings till Friday. The days started early, at 7:30 or 8am, through to, and including, dinner, where work conversations continued. The whole week left me inspired and energised about the value of internal audit.

When I told people that I was head of the internal audit function and profession for the UK government, running an internal audit and counter-fraud service of 450 people, they were blown away by the scale of what we do, the breadth of organisations we cover, and the number of people and locations involved.

Looking at one’s environment through the eyes of a stranger enables you to see yourself and your profession afresh. It made me even prouder of what we do for the government and for our citizens, helping the most senior leaders in the civil service to achieve their objectives and outcomes more effectively and enhancing public trust. When you think that internal auditors and fraud professionals are doing what we do around the world every day, collectively we are making the world a better place.

At the conference, the content focused on today’s biggest risks. Fraud took centre stage, because of the scale of the risk worldwide. I shall remember for a long time an eye-watering case study involving someone in a local council finance department who defrauded her employer of over $3m. It went unnoticed for years until she went on holiday and her colleague spotted an anomaly in the bank statements. The fraud was exposed quickly, and common red flags were identified as some of the lessons from that case.

Other risks discussed included cyber security and climate change and how our work can help to ensure leaders stay on top of their responsibilities and contribute to a safer, sustainable world. There was much coverage of EDI (equality, diversity and inclusion) with one excellent speaker giving some simple messages about remembering always to be civil when we connect with each other: ask yourself “is it kind, is it true, is it necessary?” A pretty good lesson for life.

I entered my first series of board meetings with my head spinning from the conference sessions I attended, and the new contacts I had made. The role of the Global Board is to guide IIA Global’s work as it develops and implements an ambitious new strategy for the profession worldwide, and to approve new products and services.

It was so stimulating to hear about, and contribute to, plans to raise the profile of the profession, to attract new and more diverse talent and to evolve the certification and the professional Standards. We spent much time on this last issue – the evolution of the International Professional Practices Framework (IPPF), which is the DNA of our profession. Look out for ways to have your say later this year and in early 2023 as the IPPF is revised, with implementation by us all expected in 2024.

There were many different views around the table, and open discussion was welcomed so that all felt valued. As Anthony Pugliese, CEO of IIA Global, said: “We’ve brought together some of the best and brightest thought leaders and practitioners from around the globe to help lead the internal audit profession through one of the most complex and disruptive times in human history.” I am honoured to be a part of that and to bring a UK voice to that table. 

This article was first published in September 2022.