Audit Committee chair of the future
In today’s rapidly evolving business environment, the expectations placed on audit committee chairs have increased in recent years. The pace of change, driven by emerging risks, technological advancements and heightened stakeholder scrutiny, demands that they continually adapt, learn and lead with purpose. To explore these evolving responsibilities in greater depth, we interviewed 50 audit committee chairs who represent large-cap companies listed on major global exchanges. The key themes from these interviews are highlighted below.
Audit committee chairs are entrusted with safeguarding integrity of financial reporting and risk oversight, but their mandate extends far beyond regulatory adherence. They are often called upon to anticipate disruption, foster a culture of transparency and accountability and help to prepare organisations for the challenges and opportunities ahead. Today’s audit committee agenda topics reflect this expanded mandate. Our research used open-ended questions to explore emerging trends, challenges and opportunities that are shaping the role of the audit committeechair – and the committee itself – in a rapidly evolving risk and governance landscape. Audit committee chairs confirmed they face additional growing demands in the following areas which raise important questions to reflect on:
- Anticipating and navigating emerging risks - what does it take for today’s audit committee chair to navigate the complex, “always on” landscape of enterprise risk, technology, sustainability andstakeholder scrutiny?
- Evolving from technical expert to strategic leader - what skills, experiences, and leadership qualities are essential for audit committee chairs and members, to be effective in the future?
- Cultivating continual learning and curiosity - how can audit committee chairs foster a culture of continual learning and intellectual curiosity across the committee?
- Modernising committee processes for agility - how can chairs modernise audit committee structures and processes to enhance agility and effectiveness in overseeing emerging risks and evolving responsibilities?
- Populating the committees of tomorrow - what should members of future audit committees keep in mind as they navigate their journey to board membership?
In January 2026 we issued our publication The Audit Committee Chair of the Future: Redefining Leadership for the Next Era of Governance which sets out reflections and insights on each of these themes and the questions raised. We encourage audit committee chairs and those who work with them to reflect on the recommendations outlined in the report. It is hoped that through embracing continual learning, cultivating broad perspectives and reimagining how oversight could be approached, audit committee chairs can support organisations in meeting todays demands and preparing for the future.
Tracy Gordon
