UAE Internal Auditors Association Conducts Workshop On Crisis Management
Internal auditors advised to set up special teams for data protection
Even as the UAE moves into becoming one of the leading technology and business centres of the world and organisations face data breech of critical information, the internal audit and risk functions within a business should give priority for data protection than ever before, the UAE's internal auditing community has been advised.
"Internal audit must undergo periodic scanning to ensure its ability to consistently provide risk-based and objective advice and insight," Abdulqader Obaid Ali, UAE Internal Auditors Association (UAE IAA) chairman, advised members of UAE IAA at the association's monthly meeting and a Crisis Management Workshop in Dubai.
As the risk landscape changes and the speed of risk increases, internal auditing community in the UAE has also been advised to expand their skills, update their processes and embrace a flexible, agile and open mindset.
Ben Hickey, Associate Director from Control Risks, and Bill Anderson, Chief Strategy Officer of Gulf Tax Accounting Group (GTAG), and a Partner at Business Improvement Group (BIG), presented at the crisis management workshop.
Bill Anderson, gave a presentation on how organisations can develop a SWAT team whose remit is to provide a rapid response team to deal with urgent and critical issues for the business which arise from time to time.
"The internal audit and risk functions within a business can really help the business on high priority, high risk matters by working with the Business to respond rapidly to emerging risks. A good example is if there was a data breech of critical information and how this SWAT team would react and manage the situation for the CEO," he said.
This will help keep data safe and reduce the risk to the Business thereby allowing it to achieve its goals and strategies. Failures that are detected early or prevented ensure that the company is profitable and future proofed.
Ben Hickey, gave a presentation on how individuals should respond to and manage crises in the eventuality of a random active shooter/lone-wolf attacker or larger-scale terrorist attack, which is an increasing concern for organisations.
Talking about crisis management and business continuity, Ben Hickey said: "Duty of care responsibilities are driving organisations to evaluate how they can ensure their staff have access to the necessary information and training to feel equipped to protect themselves."
Colette Harb, Consultant, UAE Internal Auditors Association (UAE IAA) said "the world is changing at exponential speed and so is the risk landscape. The main risk facing the audit profession is auditing the past, not the future. So, it is imperative for the Internal Auditors to strike the right balance between the need for control and the need for speed and agility."
UAE IAA, a non-profit organisation of internal auditors, was set up in 1995 along the lines of its parent body the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) with 190,000 members from more than 170 countries and territories. The UAE accounts for about 45% of the total number of internal auditors working in the region, estimated at about 7,000 auditors, of which 22% are Emirati citizens.
