Block
Luxembourg | 21-23 February, 2024
The 2024 Internal Audit Innovation Summit
Powered by the Mont Blanc Circle
Limited to 40 participants
27
Days
07
Hours
01
Minutes
36
Seconds
You are in charge of the Internal Audit Function. Recently, you also observed how rapidly the business environment has evolved and often in quite disruptive ways. Your Board and Audit Committee have changing and increasing expectations for the CAE function, both in terms of role and impact (quality) as in terms of efficiency and reach (quantity). You know that in order to better serve the business, the Internal Audit Function must embrace and anticipate the future.
This Innovation Summit explores the Internal Audit of the Future and the Future of Internal Audit.
19:30 Drinks
20:00 Opening Dinner
09:00 Welcome and Introduction, by Marc Eulerich
09:30 The Future of the IA Function, by John Bendermacher
John will project the internal audit function of the future, and picture the developments that are and will be ongoing to reach for that. Whether it is about governance, internal audit standards, education and training, skills set and personality, all elements will renew in the years to come. And, are the internal auditors being taken over by robots? Participate and join us for that discussion.
10:30 Disruptive Technologies, How Innovation brings IA to a new Level, by David Wood
We will discuss the present and future impact of technology and AI in internal auditing and accounting. Together, we’ll explore our research on how generative AI and other technologies are shaping audit practices. We’ll also demonstrate specific audit actions enhanced by Gen AI, highlighting its evolving role in the industry.
11:30 Coffee Break
12:00 Process Mining as a Catalyst for Continuous Auditing, Research-based Findings by Mieke Jans
A common thread in internal audit projects is to analyze controls and (in)directly the business processes. Interaction with the subject matter expert to interpret identified exceptions is integrated through the so-called human loop, reinforcing the idea that exceptions can only be analyzed in a manual way. Nevertheless, through structured analysis of the internal audit process itself, we can monitor internal processes in a semi-automated way.
13:00 Lunch
14:00 The Transformative Journey of Internal Audit in the Age of Digitalization and Enhanced Governance, by Holger Kremmling
This journey revolves around harnessing advanced technologies to improve audit processes, ensuring better governance, risk assessments and compliance. As governance standards heighten, auditors integrate analytics and automation to provide deeper insights, enhance efficiency, and elevate their role as strategic advisors, fostering trust and transparency.
15:00 Current use cases and an outlook on utilizing large language models, by Jan Grüne
Starting with an overview of current best-practices of data analytics in Internal Audit, the intervention will provide insights into use cases and different approaches to integrate data analytics into the audit methodology. In part two we will also discuss potentials and limitations of utilizing AI/large language models during data interpretation and risk-based audit execution.
16:00 Group Picture & Coffee Break
16:30 (Generative) AI: A disruption for Internal Auditing ?, by Marc Eulerich
Dive into insightful discussions on leveraging cutting-edge technology and innovation to revolutionize your audit processes. Discover how digital transformation not only enhances efficiency but also uncovers hidden risks and opportunities. Transform your approach, redefine your strategies, and prepare to lead your team into a new era of internal auditing excellence!
17:30 Free Time
19:00 Drinks & Networking Dinner
09:00 Transformational Auditing: Reimagine your Audit Function with AI, by Alexander Rühle
AI offers a groundbreaking opportunity for auditors. As we contemplate the core mission of Internal Audit, this session will delve into how AI can reshape the perceived value of the audit function. We’ll explore the potential of future internal auditors to pinpoint AI opportunities within business processes and the methodologies internal audit employs to identify and prioritize these prospective business cases.
10:00 Increasing level of Assurance over Effectiveness of automated Controls using Technology, by Justin Pawlowski
Different ways of obtaining assurance over effectiveness of controls exist. This session deals with how to increase the level of assurance using technology.
11:00 Coffee Break
11:30 Panel Discussion – The modern Internal Audit Function: Bridging Research and Practice
Marc Eulerich (moderator)
– John Bendermacher
– Jan Grüne
– Mieke Jans
– David Wood
12:30 Closing Lunch
John Bendermacher (1961) is an auditor already for more than 40 years, and the last 25 years in the financial industry as Chief Audit Executive. Currently he works for Euroclear in Brussels, and before that for ABN AMRO (Amsterdam). John also has a long lasting volunteering career (more than 25 years) within the Institute of Internal Auditors, of which 6 years in the IIA Netherlands board, 4 years at the IIA Global board, and now 3 years in the ECIIA board. He is a regular speaker at conferences and trainings.
Prof. Dr. Marc Eulerich is a distinguished professor of internal auditing at the Mercator School of Management, University Duisburg-Essen, a position he has held since 2011 with the backing of the German Institute of Internal Auditors (DIIR). As the head of the “Center for Internal Auditing Excellence” and chair of the scientific committee of the German IIA, he is at the forefront of bridging academic inquiry with practical auditing standards. With a portfolio of over 150 publications spanning corporate governance, internal auditing, and strategic management, his insights have found a home in revered international journals. Prof. Eulerich is a CIA and is enriching the internal auditing profession through numerous talks and consulting projects. His efforts aim at intertwining theoretical acumen with practical engagements, ensuring a vibrant dialog between academia and the industry.
Jan has more than 15 years’ experience in evaluating and optimizing corporate governance systems and business processes with a specific focus on Internal Control and Internal Audit. He advises on strategy, transformation and digitization of Internal Audit functions. In this area, he designs and implements solutions around data analytics, and automation, and process visualization. He optimizes, streamlines and automates internal controls, business processes and audit activities. Jan also has a strong focus on integrating and aligning corporate governance functions and their activities towards new, technology-driven risks.
Holger Kremmling is the Head of Internal Audit at Clariant based out of its Headquarters in Switzerland. Clariant is one of the world’s leading specialty chemical companies.
Before that Holger worked for ABB, a leading player in electrification and automation, as well as BBraun Company, a leader in medical technology. In his 20+ years career he had different local and global roles within Internal Audit, Risk Management & Internal Controls, Human Resources, and Business Development. Holger lived and worked in Europe and Asia with global exposure also to the Americas.
Holger graduated in Business Economics from the University of Corporate Education in Mannheim, Germany.
Mieke Jans is Associate Professor in the Business Informatics Research Group at Hasselt University and at the Accounting Information Management department at Maastricht University. Her research interests span different areas, creating synergies between the fields of Business Process Management, Process Mining, Information Systems and Auditing. Mieke has a focus on Audit Analytics, with an emphasis on process mining in the context of auditing financial statements, published numerous articles in international peer-reviewed scientific journals, and (co-)authored several books.
Justin Pawlowski is Director Finance Transformation at a multinational technology provider. Prior to joining this company in his previous role as Head of Internal Audit five years ago, he was Senior Manager for Governance & Assurance Services at a Big Four company in Frankfurt. During this time, he was member of the IT Guidance Committee of the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA). Deriving value from using technology and optimizing the interplay between human and digital labor is his passion.
Alexander Rühle, CEO & Co-Founder of zapliance, is an experienced Internal Auditor specializing in SAP and related solutions. In addition to leveraging innovative technologies such as AI, his work focuses on developing subject matter experts into pragmatic data analysts and effective communicators. Alexander is a Certified Internal Auditor and Certified Information Systems Auditor.
David works at Brigham Young University as the Glenn D. Ardis professor of accounting. David has published over 150 articles in a combination of respected academic and practitioner journals, monographs, books, and cases. His research has won multiple best paper awards. He works with the EY ARC to develop curriculum that is provided for free to academics throughout the world. He is also a coauthor on the market-leading AIS textbook, Accounting Information Systems by Romney, Steinbart, Summers, and Wood and codeveloper of the https://www.byuaccounting.net/ and https://www.techhub.training websites.
The 2024 IA Innovation Summit will take place in Hotel Le Royal, in the heart of Luxembourg city. Hotel Le Royal is a Member of the Leading Hotels of the World, known for its sophisticated hospitality and impeccable service. It is the only Luxembourg hotel with a five-star Superior rating in the heart of the city.
Hotel Le Royal
12 Bd Royal
2449 Ville-Haute
Luxembourg
https://luxembourg.leroyal.com/