The Audit Podcast

Links: Claude's new constitution 'Wake up to the risks of AI, they are almost here,' Anthropic boss warns Be sure to follow us on our social media accounts on: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-audit-podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theauditpodcast TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theauditpodcast?lang=en Also be sure to sign up for The Audit Podcast newsletter and to check the full video interview on The Audit Podcast YouTube channel. * This podcast is brought to you by Greenskies Analytics. the services firm that helps auditors leapfrog up the analytics maturity model. Their approach for launching audit analytics programs with a series of proven quick-win analytics will guarantee the results worthy of the analytics hype. Whether your audit team needs a data strategy, methodology, governance, literacy, or anything else related to audit and analytics, schedule time with Greenskies Analytics.

This week on The Audit Podcast, our guest is David Bowman, Senior Vice President and Global Chief Auditor at Unum Group. David shares his innovative approach to using data analytics across his audit team. He talks through how his team—roughly 60 auditors across three countries and five audit groups—implements analytics in a way that delivers measurable results to stakeholders, even for smaller teams with limited resources. We also dive into David's role in supporting these initiatives, the importance of audit culture, and his key lessons from 30 years of audit and audit leadership. Be sure to connect with David on LinkedIn. Also, be sure to follow us on our social media accounts on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok. Also be sure to sign up for The Audit Podcast newsletter and to check the full video interview on The Audit Podcast YouTube channel. Timecodes: 4:28 – Sourcing and building analytics capabilities 11:45 – When and how to engage a data analytics specialist 20:27 – Collaboration between the data analytics team and the Audit team 22:26 – Stakeholder feedback and insights 25:30 – Developing the next generation of leaders 33:18 – What it means to lead on a global scale 41:02 – The dos and don'ts of shaping company culture 46:29 - Final Thoughts * This podcast is brought to you by Greenskies Analytics, the services firm that helps auditors leap-frog up the analytics maturity model. Their approach for launching audit analytics programs with a series of proven quick-win analytics will guarantee the results worthy of the analytics hype. Whether your audit team needs a data strategy, methodology, governance, literacy, or anything else related to audit and analytics, schedule time with Greenskies Analytics.

This week on The Audit Podcast, we're joined by returning guest Jason Mefford, audit leader advisor and founder of the Audit Leader Forum. Jason shares what it really means to have "real" conversations as an internal audit leader—and why authenticity, not ego, matters most. We talk through the situations where tough conversations come up most often, including with the board, the C-suite, executives, and staff. He also breaks down practical advice for navigating difficult discussions and introduces the five areas of leadership audit leaders need to focus on as they move into senior roles. Also, be sure to follow us on our social media accounts on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok. Also be sure to sign up for The Audit Podcast newsletter and to check the full video interview on The Audit Podcast YouTube channel. Timecodes: 4:06 – What it means to be a "real" CAE 7:56 – How to have a "real" conversation 18:23 – Four scenarios where a real conversation is necessary 25:17 – Building confidence as a leader 30:33 – Dealing with confidence challenges 36:47 – Five key areas of leadership 45:38 – Final thoughts * This podcast is brought to you by Greenskies Analytics, the services firm that helps auditors leap-frog up the analytics maturity model. Their approach for launching audit analytics programs with a series of proven quick-win analytics will guarantee the results worthy of the analytics hype. Whether your audit team needs a data strategy, methodology, governance, literacy, or anything else related to audit and analytics, schedule time with Greenskies Analytics.

This week on The Audit Podcast, we're joined by Patrick Niemann, Partner and Leader of EY's U.S. Center for Board Matters. Pat brings a unique perspective shaped by decades of working directly with boards and audit committees. In this episode, he shares what's top of mind for board members right now—from uncertainty in the economic and geopolitical landscape to evolving expectations around risk management. We dig into how boards are thinking about cybersecurity, AI governance, and emerging technology risks, and how those conversations have changed over the past year. Pat explains why boards are moving beyond awareness and asking more pointed questions about how AI is being deployed, what risks it introduces, and how management teams are addressing them. Also, be sure to follow us on our social media accounts on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok. Also be sure to sign up for The Audit Podcast newsletter and to check the full video interview on The Audit Podcast YouTube channel. Timecodes: 1:23 – What's ahead in 2026 4:02 – Board priorities for 2026 7:33 – AI and cybersecurity considerations 12:20 – Emerging risks in 2026 18:20 – How tariffs are shaping corporate investment 22:40 – Governance of AI agents in 2026 28:28 – The AI bubble question 32:11 – Final thoughts * This podcast is brought to you by Greenskies Analytics, the services firm that helps auditors leap-frog up the analytics maturity model. Their approach for launching audit analytics programs with a series of proven quick-win analytics will guarantee the results worthy of the analytics hype. Whether your audit team needs a data strategy, methodology, governance, literacy, or anything else related to audit and analytics, schedule time with Greenskies Analytics.

Be sure to follow us on our social media accounts on: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-audit-podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theauditpodcast TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theauditpodcast?lang=en Also be sure to sign up for The Audit Podcast newsletter and to check the full video interview on The Audit Podcast YouTube channel. * This podcast is brought to you by Greenskies Analytics. the services firm that helps auditors leapfrog up the analytics maturity model. Their approach for launching audit analytics programs with a series of proven quick-win analytics will guarantee the results worthy of the analytics hype. Whether your audit team needs a data strategy, methodology, governance, literacy, or anything else related to audit and analytics, schedule time with Greenskies Analytics.

To wrap up the year, Trent Russell is giving away a copy of Getting Ready to Roar: A Chief Auditor's Guide from Audit Room to Boardroom by Navin Pasricha—a book he believes every auditor should have on their shelf. How to enter: • Find the giveaway post on LinkedIn (from The Audit Podcast or Trent Russell) and leave a comment • Want an extra entry? Leave a written review of The Audit Podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts That's it. Any comment counts. The winner will be selected over the holiday break and announced soon after. Even if you don't win, this is a book worth checking out. Merry Christmas, happy holidays, and thanks for listening. We'll see you in 2026. * This podcast is brought to you by Greenskies Analytics, the services firm that helps auditors leap-frog up the analytics maturity model. Their approach for launching audit analytics programs with a series of proven quick-win analytics will guarantee the results worthy of the analytics hype. Whether your audit team needs a data strategy, methodology, governance, literacy, or anything else related to audit and analytics, schedule time with Greenskies Analytics.

Links: Keep AI browsers out of your enterprise, warns Gartner OpenAI warns new models pose 'high' cybersecurity risk Be sure to follow us on our social media accounts on: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-audit-podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theauditpodcast TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theauditpodcast?lang=en Also be sure to sign up for The Audit Podcast newsletter and to check the full video interview on The Audit Podcast YouTube channel. * This podcast is brought to you by Greenskies Analytics. the services firm that helps auditors leapfrog up the analytics maturity model. Their approach for launching audit analytics programs with a series of proven quick-win analytics will guarantee the results worthy of the analytics hype. Whether your audit team needs a data strategy, methodology, governance, literacy, or anything else related to audit and analytics, schedule time with Greenskies Analytics.

This week on The Audit Podcast, we're doing something a little different. It's an end-of-year, blooper-style episode that pulls back the curtain on the show. You'll hear the unscripted moments, side comments, and behind-the-scenes bits that usually get edited out—including just how many times Trent says, "Mary Charles cut that out." throughout the episodes (hint it's a lot). Also, be sure to follow us on our social media accounts on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok. Also be sure to sign up for The Audit Podcast newsletter and to check the full video interview on The Audit Podcast YouTube channel. * This podcast is brought to you by Greenskies Analytics, the services firm that helps auditors leap-frog up the analytics maturity model. Their approach for launching audit analytics programs with a series of proven quick-win analytics will guarantee the results worthy of the analytics hype. Whether your audit team needs a data strategy, methodology, governance, literacy, or anything else related to audit and analytics, schedule time with Greenskies Analytics.

This week on The Audit Podcast, there's a new host in town… and it's not me. Eric Wilson steps in and leads a reverse interview where I finally take a turn as the guest. Be sure to connect with Eric on LinkedIn. Also, be sure to follow us on our social media accounts on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok. Also be sure to sign up for The Audit Podcast newsletter and to check the full video interview on The Audit Podcast YouTube channel. Timecodes: 0:39 – What Made Trent Start The Audit Podcast 4:09 – The Origins of IA on AI 6:09 – Understanding the "How" 10:34 – Trent's Most Memorable Podcast Episodes 13:11 – Where to Listen to The Audit Podcast 14:13 – Skill Sets New Auditors Should Focus On 15:36 – The Biggest Shift in Internal Audit 16:25 – What Keeps Trent Motivated 17:04 – Trent's Green Thumb Challenges 18:56 – Final Thoughts * This podcast is brought to you by Greenskies Analytics, the services firm that helps auditors leap-frog up the analytics maturity model. Their approach for launching audit analytics programs with a series of proven quick-win analytics will guarantee the results worthy of the analytics hype. Whether your audit team needs a data strategy, methodology, governance, literacy, or anything else related to audit and analytics, schedule time with Greenskies Analytics.

This week on The Audit Podcast, there's a new host in town… and it's not me. Eric Wilson steps in and leads a reverse interview where I finally take a turn as the guest. Be sure to connect with Eric on LinkedIn. Also, be sure to follow us on our social media accounts on LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok. Also be sure to sign up for The Audit Podcast newsletter and to check the full video interview on The Audit Podcast YouTube channel. Timecodes: 1:30 – Lightning Round of Questions for Trent 6:23 – Trent's Career Journey 13:25 – Trent's Work–Life Balance 16:39 – Greenskies Analytics: How Tech Has Changed Things 19:50 – The Footprint of Greenskies Analytics 20:42 – Using Copilot to Accelerate Analytics in Your Company 25:10 – What's New for Greenskies Analytics 26:15 – How Trent Started Running The Audit Analytics and AI Conference 32:50 – New Conferences 35:33 – A Sneak Peek at Future Conferences * This podcast is brought to you by Greenskies Analytics, the services firm that helps auditors leap-frog up the analytics maturity model. Their approach for launching audit analytics programs with a series of proven quick-win analytics will guarantee the results worthy of the analytics hype. Whether your audit team needs a data strategy, methodology, governance, literacy, or anything else related to audit and analytics, schedule time with Greenskies Analytics.