AI, Efficiency, and ROI: The New Era of Internal Audit for Private Companies

Heather Gates is a managing director with Deloitte & Touche LLP and has more than 30 years of experience working in the startup and private company space, including 18 years at Deloitte. She serves as both the national Emerging Growth Company (EGC) business leader and the Audit & Assurance Private Growth leader overseeing the firm’s EGC, Private Equity, and Deloitte Private Audit & Assurance teams. She has spent her career cultivating and maintaining strong relationships throughout the private company and investor communities in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. In her role as the national leader, she brings the power of the firm to key markets throughout the US. With her vast personal network and knowledge of the industry, Heather has unique insight into the people, institutions, and technologies that shape Silicon Valley. She regularly meets with entrepreneurs and venture capitalists, and has expanded Deloitte's services to leading companies based in the Bay Area and nationally. She also serves as a board member and treasurer for the Churchill Club, a leading Silicon Valley business and technology forum.

Michael is a partner in Deloitte & Touche LLP’s Risk & Financial Advisory practice, where he focuses on advising our domestic and international clients on matters of internal controls, including information technology, regulatory matters, risk management issues, and control and compliance management processes. Michael has a specific focus on the internal audit function, with more than 20 years of experience advising Deloitte’s largest clients on the various elements of the internal audit lifecycle, including: risk assessments, audit planning and execution, and reporting to audit committees and key executive stakeholders. In addition to Michael’s responsibilities providing risk-based services to market-leading clients, he also leads Deloitte’s efforts around the modernization of key third line functions. Specifically, Michael focuses on how internal audit functions execute, as well as what internal audit functions focus on, and is known for this work with mid-market and super-regional banks.