Becoming a Chief Audit Executive - Leading the Internal Audit Function

Why Should You Attend:

Performing the role of a chief audit executive in today’s corporate environment can be both challenging as well as rewarding. Today’s internal audit processes is an ever-expanding role and vital to any business. Many companies consider internal audit as a training ground for future management as it provides professionals with key strategic insight into the business. For an organization to truly build credibility within the internal audit function, the skills and organizational positioning of the chief audit executive and internal audit management is a critical success factor.

Anyone stepping into an internal audit management role must have the fortitude and ability to appropriately balance the organization’s needs with the necessity for independence and objectivity. This can be a very difficult issue for even the most experienced executive. Auditors must be prepared to understand and uphold the Institute of Internal Auditor Standards while learning how to balance the requirements of those standards with management’s expectations.

This session will cover the essentials behind leading the internal audit function. It will outline several challenges faced by internal auditors when attempting to execute their fiduciary duty while also meeting management’s expectations.

Areas Covered in the Webinar:

• The IIA Standards and the auditor’s responsibility to abide by the standards.
• Management’s expectations of internal audit.
• Critical hard and soft skills required for internal audit management and the internal auditor.
• Real-world examples and challenges facing today’s internal audit.
• Key concepts to ensure audit management is ready to meet the challenges they face.
• Legal and ethical standards needed.
• Preparing and transitioning into your new role.

Who Will Benefit:

• Internal Auditors
• Internal Audit Directors
• CFOs
• CEOs
• Finance Professionals
• Professionals considering an internal audit role

Lynn Fountain
Former Chief Audit Executive, Aquila

Lynn Fountain has over 30 years of experience in public and industry accounting and over 20 years within internal and external auditing. She is a nationally recognized trainer and speaker and also a published author. She is a subject matter expert and specializes in internal audit, Sarbanes-Oxley, enterprise risk management, fraud, governance and compliance. Ms. Fountain has held two chief audit executive positions for international companies. She has also been instrumental in the establishment of ERM, Sarbanes-Oxley and governance frameworks.

She has developed and delivered leading edge training sessions on the new COSO framework and has assisted companies in identifying risk gap analysis in their individual processes. She currently executes two highly recognized e-workshops for the Institute of Internal Auditors, one on fraud and the second on ethics. Both workshops have incorporated aspects of COSO 2013.

Ms. Fountain authored “Raise The Red Flag,” a book on fraud for the Institute of Internal Auditors. She also authored “Leading the Internal Audit Function” for Auerbach publications. Both books were released in 2015. She is authoring a third book on corporate ethics that will release in 2016. In addition, she has performed as an adjunct instructor for the School of Business for Grantham University and the School of Business at the University of Kansas.

Ms. Fountain obtained her BSBA from Pittsburg State University and her MBA from Washburn University in Kansas. She has her CGMA, CRMA credentials and CPA certificate.

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