Professional courage and community – these are crucial to internal audit’s future

Courage has never been more needed in business and in internal audit teams. The Global Standards say that “internal auditors must perform their work with honesty and professional courage”. But what exactly does this mean in practice?

It was a theme that arose repeatedly in our annual Internal Audit Conference in October. Sandro Boeri, who handed over the Chartered IIA Presidency to Arleen McGichen at the AGM on the first day of the conference, spoke about the need for internal auditors to have the courage to secure the future of the profession. 

There was a panel session specifically about “embracing professional courage” that Trent Russell, Founder of Greenskies Analytics, who chaired the conference said he found inspiring and made him think differently about how the profession deals with the challenges it faces. While Arleen McGichen also addressed the topic in her keynote speech on the second day. 

Sarah Weller CBE, Non-Executive Director of BT Group, called on attendees to have the courage to take actions to increase the number of disabled people in their teams. I was particularly struck by Weller’s statement that internal auditors must focus on progress, not perfection. This is so relevant in all areas that require us to act with professional courage.

The courage required to seize the opportunities presented by AI was another huge theme at the conference – along with the need to keep pace with the astonishing speed of technological change.  

Our first keynote speaker, Priya Lakhani OBE, Founder CEO of CENTURY Tech, had to revise her presentation at the last minute because of a new AI development. She urged internal auditors to have the courage to lead the understanding of AI – which does not necessarily mean being an expert in it. Internal auditors may also need to address the AI fears of employees and leaders and help them to be braver.

Gijs Borghouts, Chief Internal Auditor at Barclays PLC, suggested that internal audit leaders could demystify AI within their organisations. He suggested simple examples of everyday uses that would make a real difference to working lives – for example, asking AI to track and recall previous relevant conversations before a meeting. Small steps can be better than giant leaps.

A sense of community 

All these references to professional courage reminded me that it is easier to be brave when you are surrounded by like-minded people. There was an overwhelming sense of support and community at the conference. I could feel the encouragement and strength that attendees were getting from sharing expectations and values with those around them. I very much hope that those attending online and watching sessions on demand also experience this.

I believe the 2025 Internal Audit Conference was one of the best in a long succession of successful conferences. The buzz and atmosphere were amazing and feedback from attendees has reinforced this. 

I hope that it will inspire any members who feel isolated when facing a situation that requires professional courage to reach out to the wider community for support. Contact the Chartered IIA directly and we can offer advice and put you in touch with others who may be able to help.

And of course, the Internal Audit Conference is just one of the large events that the Chartered IIA hosts each year. The next is the Chartered IIA Scotland Conference 2025 which takes place on 20-21 November and will focus on the theme of “Navigating the Future”.

Our communities also host regular events on sector-specific issues and topics such as fraud, data analytics and diversity. And our training courses are valuable for the opportunity to gain expert support on specific concerns and to explore practical solutions as well as to gain new skills. 

Professional courage and innovation are always key elements in our annual Audit and Risk Awards. These present the perfect opportunity to share successes and, even more importantly, ideas that may help others to succeed. Nominations for 2026 are now open so please take time to think about whether your experiences could win your team recognition while encouraging others in the profession. 

New president and council members 

Our annual AGM took place on 8 October and I’m delighted to welcome Arleen McGichen as our new President – while extending a huge thank you to Sandro Boeri for his work in the role over the past two years. Arleen will be supported by Carolyn Clarke, who continues in the role of Deputy President.

Clare Keon was appointed as Chair of the Audit, Finance & Risk Committee and Sandro is both Immediate Past President and Chair of the Nominations and Remuneration Committee. 

I’d also like to welcome our new Council members, Ben Kaye and Jeremy Lawson, and thank Roza Watson and Piyush Fatania, who stepped down at the AGM. Further thanks are due to Steve Evenden, Maria Ghibu and Deepinder Chhabra, who stepped down earlier in the year.

The support of our Council members is vital to our success because, as the Internal Audit Conference demonstrated, the Chartered IIA is essentially a community. We are led by members for members. The profession is facing a critical period with the rapid development of AI and of its role and value in organisations. Supporting each other and embracing change is not just about being brave – it is essential to our future.

If you missed the conference, or wish to view more sessions you can now view them on demand.