The 5^th Annual Internal Audit Beacon Awards

At the end of 2019, I recognized 10 men and women who had made extraordinary contributions to the internal audit profession through thought leadership and advocacy over the previous decade. The list proved so popular that I began recognizing top thought leaders/advocates annually. This year marks the 5^th time that I have compiled such a list.

I was once again amazed this year at the response to the call for nominations. More than 50 men and women were nominated from 18 countries around the world. As the inspiring nominations rolled in, I was reminded again of an awesome responsibility to evaluate each one with an objective assessment of their contributions. As I noted last year, the danger in compiling such a list is not in who gets included, but who might be slighted by being left off. So, let me offer my apologies in advance.

As with those recognized in the past, this year’s list is intended to acknowledge active contributions to advancing the profession through lectures, articles, publications, and social media during another year of extraordinary global disruption. The Internal Audit Beacons are part thought leaders, part advocates, and part influencers. Some of those on my list are well known globally, while others focus more on advancing the profession within their own regions of the world. In the end, I once again chose not to limit the recognition to just 10. There were at least 12 in 2023 whose contributions I am honored to recognize.

I am proud of the diversity on this year’s list. Eight of those recognized were not on the list in 2022. This year’s recipients come from four continents and reflect the global character of the internal audit profession. For each thought leader, I provided a very brief overview of their contributions, but to fully appreciate all that they do, I invite you to check out their LinkedIn profile (linked to each of their names). So, with all of the disclaimers out of the way, here they are in alphabetical order.

Abbas Al Lawati – Oman. A first timer on the list, Abbas is Head of Audit at OQ8 in Oman, but is more widely known as That Omani Auditor. In addition to promoting the profession through his own social media efforts, Abbas was prominent throughout the year on conference programs and podcasts where he offered thoughtful insights on topics such as the risk to internal auditors of “blind trust.”

Robert Berry – USA. Robert is no stranger to this list, and his influence is expanding every year. His tag line is that he “helps internal auditors ask better questions,” but it is also fair to note that Robert regularly provides “better answers.” For those reasons and many more, he is being recognized for the third year in a row as an Internal Audit Beacon. Known to the American profession as That Audit Guy, Robert was a prolific advocate for internal auditing in 2023. You can also follow him on “X” (formerly known as Twitter): @thatauditguy

Hal Garyn – USA. Hal is one of only three individuals to appear on all 5 lists of Internal Audit Beacons. In 2023, he continued to be a thoughtful and powerful voice in our profession by raising timely issues through articles and across social media. Hal is also a prolific writer, and he authored the top 2 articles of the year on InternalAudit360.com. But above all, Hal is a dynamic contributor on internal audit issues of the day on LinkedIn. If you do not follow Hal, you are truly missing out!

Salih Ahmed Islam – Turkey. If you are a member of The Institute of Internal Auditors (Official Global Group), I have no doubt you have seen one of Salih’s countless posts offering laser insights on critical topics and issues for the profession. In addition to (or perhaps because of) his tireless efforts to advance, educate, and promote internal audit, Salih has perhaps the largest LinkedIn following of anyone in the profession (more than 50,000 followers)!

Rainer Lenz – Germany. Rainer has also been on the Internal Audit Beacon list all 5 years. In 2023 he remained provocative (but always thoughtful) in sharing his points of view. He followed up his seminal article ‘Gardener of Governance’  in 2023 with another outstanding effort: The Future of the Internal Audit Function: Assure, Build and Consult. In 2023, Rainer was also recognized for his extraordinary contributions to the profession by The IIA when it bestowed its prestigious Bradford Cadmus Memorial Award. You can also follow him on “X” (formerly known as Twitter): @Rainer_Lenz

Norman Marks – USA. Norman has been named to all five top Internal Audit Beacon lists. He remains one of the most thoughtful and influential champions for our profession in the world. His regular blog series is one that I always look to for inspiration (or occasionally provocation). This year, Norman expanded his reach by launching his Storytime Series on YouTube. You can also follow him on “X” (formerly known as Twitter): @normanmarks

Elizabeth McDowell – USA. Elizabeth is new to the Internal Audit Beacon list, but not to the profession. The self-styled “Chief Enthusiast” of her own company, Audit Forward, Elizabeth gives selflessly back to the profession, and was visible throughout the year imparting wisdom at conferences, on social media and popular podcasts. Among the inspiring ways Elizabeth coaches the profession is through her “Audie the Internal Otteror” series in which she imparts basics lessons for internal auditors.

Francis Milambo – Zambia. Another newcomer to the list, Francis is an inspiring young internal auditor from Zambia. In addition to serving as Head of Internal Audit – Bayport Financial Services (Zambia) Limited, Francis is a strong advocate for the profession in his country and region. His articles are often insightful and provocative, and his activities have won him the trust and respect of the Zambian government where he has been appointed Chairperson of the Audit Committee at the Ministry of Trade and Commerce and Vice Chairperson of The Audit Committee at the Radiation Protection Authority. I am confident we haven’t heard the last from Francis.

Ahmed Shawky Mohammed – UK. While he is new to Internal Audit Beacon list this year, Dr. Mohammed is not new to the profession. He is the Founder and Managing Director of LevelUp LTD based in London. His articles such as Innovative Solutions from Within: The Power of Internal Audit in Business Transformation and concepts such as Purpose-Driven Internal Audit have raised his profile with members of the profession around the world.

Ursula Schmidt – Luxembourg. Ursula is another newcomer to the list, but I acknowledged her growing influence earlier this year in a post on top leaders in the profession to follow in 2023. Based in Luxembourg, Ursula manages her own advisory services firm and is another tireless advocate for the profession. Her LinkedIn articles are often crisp, insightful and packed with wisdom. Ursula’s influence is clearly growing, and I can’t wait to see what’s next.

Renato Trisciuzzi – Brazil. Renato is new to the list this year, but I have known him for more than a decade. A long-time IIA leader, Renato has significantly raised his profile as an internal audit thought leader in the past couple of years. He is Head of Internal Audit, Risk Management and Internal at Brasil’s Alesat Combustiveis. Renato is another of this year’s Beacons who are prolific writers. His articles can often be found on LinkedIn. Renato’s voice also made an impact in 2023 at conferences and on various podcasts throughout the year. You can also follow him on “X” (formerly known as Twitter): @Trisciuzzi

Imran Zia – Canada. This is Imran’s first appearance on the list. He is Director, Risk Management and Assurance Director, Risk Management and Assurance of Canada’s Vancouver Fraser Port Authority. Imran is a regular contributor to the profession’s body of thought. His article on how internal auditors can boost their “likability quotient” was a highlight of his 2023 contributions. Imran’s internal audit perspectives are a powerful complement to his risk management knowledge.

There you have it: the list of this year’s Internal Audit Beacons!

One of the continuing trends is that there are more and more deserving candidates for recognition each year. There are too many to name them all, but their contributions do not go unnoticed. I should also reiterate that one element of the criteria I first articulated in 2019 (when I was The IIA’s global CEO) is still applicable. The IIA’s staff and current board members are not considered for the Internal Audit Beacon Awards. But their contributions to advancing the profession remain vital. Thanks to each of them and many others for their tireless efforts in advocating for internal auditors around the world.

I welcome your thoughts on this list. I urge you to follow each of them, and please remain on the lookout for any candidates for the 6^th annual Internal Audit Beacon Awards to be named at the end of 2024.