Global headlines recently noted that the chief audit executive (CAE) of a major publicly traded company had resigned amid questions about the company’s CEO improperly executing a stock-linked compensation plan. There was a lot of speculation about the connection between these events, including whether the CAE quit on principle in the face of corporate pressure. I don’t know if that’s true, but the speculation alone stimulates conversation once again about how CAEs should respond in a toxic or tone-deaf culture.
I have tackled this topic several times in this blog, including a 2014 entry on the challenges for CAEs working in an environment where tone at the top is troubled.…