The Audit Podcast

This week, our guest is Anthony Pugliese, President and CEO of the Institute of Internal Auditors.
 
Anthony joins the show as he approaches his five-year anniversary leading the IIA, reflecting on the major milestones and progress the organization has made during that time. He shares a look back at key initiatives from the past five years and discusses what the next phase could look like for the profession.
 
We also talk about several recent research efforts, including the 2026 Risk in Focus survey and the joint report with AuditBoard on AI driven fraud. Anthony highlights a few key trends auditors should be watching, particularly as organizations navigate emerging technology risks and evolving expectations around governance and oversight.
 
Finally, Anthony explains two initiatives aimed at strengthening the future of the profession: the Global Audit Committee Center, which supports stronger engagement with audit committees, and VisionU, a development program designed for new and aspiring chief audit executives.
 
Be sure to connect with Anthony on LinkedIn.
6:02 - AI Tips
11:03 - 5 Years as IIA President
14:32 - Strategy and the New Internal Audit Standards
14:32 - Why "Simple" Implementations Rarely Actually Simple
17:40 - Key Insights from Risk in Focus 2026 and the AI Fraud Report
21:50 - AI Literacy and Training in Internal Audit
24:26 - The Audit Committee Center
27:54 - How to Join the Audit Committee center
33:25 - Experienced CAE resources
35:35 – Final Thoughts
38:26 - Best advice for CAEs from Anthony Pugliese
 
Be sure to connect with Mark on LinkedIn. Also, be sure to follow us on our social media accounts on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok.
 
Also be sure to sign up for The Audit Podcast newsletter and to check the full video interview on The Audit Podcast YouTube channel.
 
This podcast is brought to you by Greenskies Analytics, the services firm that helps auditors leap-frog up the analytics maturity model. Their approach for launching audit analytics programs with a series of proven quick-win analytics will guarantee the results worthy of the analytics hype. 
 
Whether your audit team needs a data strategy, methodology, governance, literacy, or anything else related to audit and analytics, schedule time with Greenskies Analytics.

Links:
Norman Marks Article
 
Be sure to follow us on our social media accounts on:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-audit-podcast
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theauditpodcast
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theauditpodcast?lang=en
 
Also be sure to sign up for The Audit Podcast newsletter and to check the full video interview on The Audit Podcast YouTube channel.
 *
This podcast is brought to you by Greenskies Analytics. the services firm that helps auditors leapfrog up the analytics maturity model. Their approach for launching audit analytics programs with a series of proven quick-win analytics will guarantee the results worthy of the analytics hype.
 
Whether your audit team needs a data strategy, methodology, governance, literacy, or anything else related to audit and analytics, schedule time with Greenskies Analytics.

This week, we'll be joined by Marc Walrod, Controls Integration Leader at Clearsulting.
 
Marc shares why controls integration needs to start far earlier than most organizations think, often in what he calls phase zero of a major transformation. From ERP implementations to rolling out AI across the enterprise, he explains how waiting too long to involve controls can create costly rework and unnecessary risk.
 
He also walks through common myths management holds about controls, like assuming a well-known ERP system comes with sufficient controls already built in and outlines practical warning signs teams can watch for to ensure controls are part of the conversation before go live.
 
If you are attending GAM Conference, be sure to stop by the booth 111 to connect with Marc and the Clearsulting team.
 
Newsletter: https://www2.clearsulting.com/clearsulting/newsletter
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/clearsulting
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Clearsulting
 
Be sure to connect with Marc on LinkedIn.
 
9:18 - Actually Implementing ERP Softwares 11:26 - Integration Over Installation 13:45 - Clearsulting Methodology 15:10 - Why "Simple" Implementations Rarely Actually Simple 17:00 - The Cross-Functional Coordination Problem 20:38 - Phase Zero: Where Controls Actually Begin 27:50 - Scoping Controls Without Overcomplicating the Project 32:55 - Why Data Literacy Matters in Major Implementations 35:47 - AI and the Future of Internal Controls 39:12 – Final Thoughts
 
Also, be sure to follow us on our social media accounts on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok.
 
Also be sure to sign up for The Audit Podcast newsletter and to check the full video interview on The Audit Podcast YouTube channel.
 
This podcast is brought to you by Greenskies Analytics, the services firm that helps auditors leap-frog up the analytics maturity model. Their approach for launching audit analytics programs with a series of proven quick-win analytics will guarantee the results worthy of the analytics hype. 
 
Whether your audit team needs a data strategy, methodology, governance, literacy, or anything else related to audit and analytics, schedule time with Greenskies Analytics.

Links:
Claude Cowork
Be sure to follow us on our social media accounts on:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-audit-podcast
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theauditpodcast
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theauditpodcast?lang=en
 
Also be sure to sign up for The Audit Podcast newsletter and to check the full video interview on The Audit Podcast YouTube channel.
 *
This podcast is brought to you by Greenskies Analytics. the services firm that helps auditors leapfrog up the analytics maturity model. Their approach for launching audit analytics programs with a series of proven quick-win analytics will guarantee the results worthy of the analytics hype.
 
Whether your audit team needs a data strategy, methodology, governance, literacy, or anything else related to audit and analytics, schedule time with Greenskies Analytics.

This week, we'll be joined by Brian Kuenzi, Founder of a Stealth AI Startup.
 
Brian gets specific about what works when audit teams try to modernize. He breaks down why new methodologies fail without clear ownership, discipline, and follow-through and how innovation doesn't mean abandoning rigor.
 
He shares practical examples of how to put structure around new ideas, set non-negotiable expectations, and still give teams room to test and improve. The result: audit processes that are flexible where they should be, consistent where they must be, and focused on producing real outcomes.
 
Be sure to connect with Brian on LinkedIn.
Also, be sure to follow us on our social media accounts on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok.
 
Also be sure to sign up for The Audit Podcast newsletter and to check the full video interview on The Audit Podcast YouTube channel.
 
This podcast is brought to you by Greenskies Analytics, the services firm that helps auditors leap-frog up the analytics maturity model. Their approach for launching audit analytics programs with a series of proven quick-win analytics will guarantee the results worthy of the analytics hype. 
 
Whether your audit team needs a data strategy, methodology, governance, literacy, or anything else related to audit and analytics, schedule time with Greenskies Analytics.