Speaking of Risk and Audit

Richard Chambers sits down with Kieran Taylor, co-founder and CEO of Midship, to discuss Midship's acquisition by Optro and their agentic AI that reduces SOX testing from 16 hours to under 15 minutes. They cover how the autonomous testing engine integrates with Optro, preserves Excel workflows, produces auditable evidence, and automates up to 85% of SOX controls—especially ITGCs. The episode also...

Richard Chambers interviews Anthony Pugliese, President and CEO of the Institute of Internal Auditors, on the profession's evolution over the past five years. They discuss the rapid rise of AI, the growing trend of second-line functions moving under chief audit executives, and the IIA’s advocacy and stakeholder initiatives like the Global Audit Committee Center. The episode also highlights the IIA...

Richard Chambers speaks with KPMG partner Charles King about how internal audit is adapting to AI, data analytics, and emerging cyber threats. They cover practical AI use cases for audit planning, testing, and reporting, and stress the importance of curiosity, technology skills, and governance. Charles also warns about the overlooked risk of post-quantum cryptography and urges audit teams to prepa...

Richard Chambers interviews Guru Sethupathy, Optro's General Manager of AI Governance, on practical approaches to governing AI. Guru outlines the "three Ps" framework—policies, processes, people—and explains why rapid advances like agentic AI increase risks around performance, security, and transparency. They discuss regulatory pressures, the need for orchestration and continuous monitoring, and h...

On the day AuditBoard becomes Optro, CEO Raul Villar Jr. discusses the company’s rebrand, its AI-powered expansion across audit, risk, compliance, and infosec, and how a recent acquisition strengthens its leadership in AI governance. He explains how the new identity supports international growth, preserves customer experience, and positions Optro to transform risk into opportunity with agentic sys...

Richard Chambers interviews Richard Penfill of PayPal about using data science and AI in internal audit, exploring how prompt libraries, AI agents, and a new concept called "swarm auditing" streamline analytics and testing. The episode covers practical challenges (the "bridge tax"), governance and risk concerns, use cases for agent orchestration, and how AI will shift auditors toward judgment, eth...

Richard Chambers interviews Margie Bastolla, an audit report–writing expert, trainer, and author, on effective audit reporting. They examine common reporting errors, including unclear effect statements and weak root-cause analysis, and discuss practical techniques to write reports that resonate with high-level readers. Margie also discusses the role of AI as a research assistant, the importance of...

In this episode Richard Chambers interviews Mike Peppers, Chief Audit Executive at the University of Texas System, about his decades-long career in internal audit—especially in higher education and public service—and his role leading the overhaul of the Global Internal Audit Standards. They discuss the public-sector audit environment, the standards' new guidance for public-sector and small audit f...

Richard Chambers hosts Michael Rasmussen and Renee Murphy to discuss how AI is reshaping cyber risk, regulation, and the role of GRC and internal audit. They explore AI governance, regulatory change management, digital twins for compliance, and the need for data maturity. The episode emphasizes auditors’ opportunity to move from being the compliance police to being resilience enablers, using AI to...

Richard Chambers interviews Sandro Boeri about the AuditBoard 2025 Culture and Ethics Report, exploring why culture matters, the research behind the findings, and the evolving role of internal audit in assessing behavioral risk. The episode covers key takeaways including the need for cross‑functional collaboration, better metrics and incentives as early warning indicators, the IIA Global topical r...

Richard Chambers and Trent Russell discuss how AI is actually being used in internal audit in 2025 — separating hype from practical reality, common use cases like anomaly detection, report writing, risk assessment, and continuous auditing, and the importance of governance and humans-in-the-loop. They cover challenges such as hallucinations, data sensitivity, AI anxiety, and how small teams can gai...

Richard Chambers interviews former Comptroller General Dave Walker about the growing U.S. national debt, its risks to the economy and national power, and the urgent need for fiscal responsibility. They discuss Social Security’s funding challenges, lessons from history, the role of the GAO and auditors in providing foresight, the limits of short-term fixes like Doge, and the case for a comprehensiv...

In this episode Richard Chambers interviews Amanda Pope, SVP of Audit and Risk at InComm Payments, about leading a compact internal audit team in a fast-moving fintech environment. They discuss team structure, co-sourcing strategies, and the importance of broad business knowledge for auditors. The conversation covers InComm’s risk assessment approach, use of AuditBoard and AI to increase capacity...

Richard Chambers interviews Karem Obeid about transforming internal audit from a compliance function into a trusted advisor. They discuss the evolving role of CAEs, the importance of courage, business acumen, relationship and succession planning, and how to navigate difficult organizational cultures. Karem highlights continuous learning, embracing technology like AI, and combating complacency as v...

Join Richard Chambers and Rania Bejjani as they explore the evolution of internal audit, discussing the imperative shift from being seen as organizational "police" to becoming trusted strategic partners. Rania shares her inspiring journey from a young audit executive to a transformative leader, emphasizing the importance of strategic alignment, relationship-building, and emotional intelligence in...

In this episode of "Speaking of Risk and Audit," host Richard Chambers is joined by Mike Levy, CEO of Cherry Hill Advisory. Together, they delve into the evolving landscape of internal audit, discussing emerging risks such as cybersecurity and artificial intelligence that keep Chief Audit Executives (CAEs) up at night. Mike shares insights from his extensive experience, highlighting the importance...

In this episode of the "Speaking of Risk and Audit," Richard Chambers engages in a dynamic discussion with Matt Mabel, Vice President of Internal Audit Quality Assurance and Process Improvement at American Express. Together, they explore the intricacies of strategic planning within internal auditing and the transformative changes underway at American Express. Matt shares his insights on the unique...

Join us as we delve into the dynamic world of internal audit and financial advisory services with Andrew Struthers-Kennedy, the managing director at Protiviti. Andrew shares the inside scoop on the 13th annual Executive Perspectives on Risk survey conducted with over 1,200 executives worldwide. The conversation unveils the most pressing short-term and long-term risks facing today's executives, emp...

Join Richard Chambers, Senior Advisor of Risk and Audit at AuditBoard, in this insightful episode of Speaking of Risk and Audit as he welcomes David Hill, former CEO of SWAP Internal Audit Services. Dive into the unique challenges facing public sector auditors in the 2020s, and explore David's vision for transforming the perception and value of internal auditing. Discover how networking, adaptabil...

Join Richard Chambers in this insightful episode of 'Speaking of Risk and Audit' as he engages in a dynamic conversation with Joanne Traice, the Group Chief Internal Audit Officer at DP World.  Joanne shares her journey from PwC to DP World, highlighting the evolution of internal audit from a function focused on controls, to a dynamic role centered on resilience, strategy, and impact across 79 cou...

In this episode of "Speaking of Risk and Audit," host Richard Chambers welcomes Scott Arnold, the CEO of AuditBoard, to discuss the pivotal role of technology in navigating the ever-evolving landscape of risk management and auditing. Arnold shares his journey with AuditBoard during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and how the company's core values and customer-centric approach have driven its su...

In this insightful episode of "Speaking of Risk and Audit," Richard Chambers, Senior Advisor for Risk and Audit at AuditBoard, converses with Tom McLeod, Chief Risk Officer and Client Impact Officer for Yellow Canary. With over 35 years of experience, Tom shares his perspectives on the intricacies of risk management and how organizations can better align with audit functions to ensure efficiency a...

Join Richard Chambers for the "Speaking of Risk and Audit" podcast series as he speaks with renowned expert Anton van Wyk. With over 20 years of experience, Anton shares invaluable insights into strengthening internal audit functions and enhancing governance practices. Having recently transitioned from his leadership role at PwC to serving on the board of a South African bank, Anton provides real-...

Join Richard Chambers, Senior Advisor of Risk and Audit for AuditBoard, as he engages in an insightful conversation with Ram Vijayanathan, Chief Audit Executive of Pinterest. Discover how Pinterest, a leading visual discovery platform with over 500 million users, navigates the ever-evolving tech industry with innovative audit strategies and risk management processes. Dive into the challenges and o...