Over time, my role shifted. I wasn’t just the “auditor in charge.” I became a connector between cultures, expectations and risk perspectives. We didn’t always agree, but we aligned. And that alignment made our findings sharper, our remediation faster and our relationships stronger.
Cross-border leadership isn’t about being everywhere. It’s about being understood everywhere.
And that starts with making people feel seen, not just assessed.
Lessons that stick
Audit’s job is not just to assess trust. It’s to help design it.
When we reduced SOX controls, we weren’t just cutting. We were creating clarity and giving time back to people. That opened the door to smarter audits, stronger partnerships and risk conversations that actually moved the business forward.
Auditing AI wasn’t about catching up. It was about shaping how the organization thinks about risk, before headlines or regulations forced our hand.
Leading across continents taught me that influence doesn’t begin with authority. It begins with curiosity, by asking the right questions and by making others feel seen, not just assessed.
If audit wants a seat at the strategy table, we need to bring more than checklists. We need to bring courage, context and a mindset that accepts change as part of the job, not the enemy of it.
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