How to Effectively Present to the Audit Committee

Are you putting your best foot forward when you present to the Audit Committee or other important stakeholders? AuditBoard’s Pamela Young breaks down her top strategies for preparing to deliver a confident, relevant, and impactful presentation to the Audit Committee.

How to Present to an Audit Committee

No one wants to be caught flat-footed and unprepared when delivering a presentation — and the stakes are high when the audience is the Audit Committee. Audit Committee members are sharp, accomplished, and busy professionals who can be a tough audience for those who aren’t experienced at presenting audit findings or talking to an audience more generally. Audit Committees want to know about risks that the organization is facing, what management is doing to get in front of those risks or how they intend to remediate any issues, and the end results of all of these actions. For newer and even experienced auditors, preparing and speaking in front of Board and specifically the Audit Committee can be nerve-wracking.

I’ve developed strategies for success during my years presenting on internal audit and Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) results to management and the Audit Committee. I’ve collected some of my best practices to help you prepare effectively and showcase the best version of yourself when delivering your presentation. Preparing to put your best foot forward is essential, whether you’ve been presenting to an Audit Committee for years or you’re gearing up for your first time.

6 Best Practices for Presenting to the Audit Committee

1. Get the lay of the land and know what’s important to your Audit Committee.

Whether it’s your very first Audit Committee presentation or the first you’re making to the Audit Committee with a new company — do some reconnaissance first. Talk to your CFO, CAO, CEO, or other senior management about who you’ll be talking to, and how these meetings typically go — these are your partners who will work with you to ensure the right message is delivered and received. Reach out to colleagues who have presented to the Audit Committee before to get a sense of expectations, typical questions, and potential pitfalls.

You may want to get thoughts and feedback on your presentation with the Audit Committee Chair or your CFO before your meeting. Oftentimes, the presentation (or the “deck”) will be reviewed by senior leadership beforehand, so you’ll have time to make adjustments or improvements to your presentation. Synthesize all of the above information to determine how best to frame your message, what to include, and what to truncate as you craft your presentation.

Key Point: Follow this step-by-step checklist to ensure you’re fully ready to deliver your best:

• Understand Your Audience: Research the Audit Committee members’ backgrounds, expertise, and priorities. Tailor your presentation to align with what matters most to them, ensuring your message resonates.

• Clarify Your Key Message: Identify the main takeaway you want your audience to leave with. Ask yourself: “If they only remember one thing, what should it be?” Make sure all slides and talking points support this central theme.

• Refine Your Slides: Keep it simple — your slides should be clean and visually appealing. Use bullet points, charts, and visuals to communicate effectively, avoiding clutter or overwhelming detail.

• Practice Time Management: Rehearse your presentation to ensure it fits within the allotted time. Plan for flexibility by leaving room for questions or unanticipated discussions.

• Anticipate Questions: Think about potential questions the committee might ask. Prepare clear, concise answers to demonstrate confidence and expertise during Q&A.

• Review and Edit Your Content: Proofread your slides and notes for clarity and professionalism. Double-check all data points to ensure accuracy—one mistake can undermine your credibility.

• Rehearse in a Realistic Setting: Practice in an environment that’s similar to where you’ll be presenting. This helps you feel more comfortable and allows you to anticipate any logistical challenges.

• Confirm Technical Setup: Test your equipment ahead of time, including projectors, laptops, and clickers. Always have a backup plan in case of technical difficulties.

2. Put in the effort to make it look effortless.

Know your material inside and out. You’ll be more effective and will be able to speak more comfortably and concisely when you approach presenting as if you’re an expert educating your audience — which means that you’ll need to take the time to develop that expertise for each presentation.

Perhaps some people can pull off a perfect presentation on the fly, but for me making a presentation look effortless is always the result of putting in a tremendous amount of preparatory work. Take the time to understand what your organization is going through, learn about how the industry is trending. This will give you the business acumen you need to be mindful of tone and delivery. Being prepped to a tee enables you to be sharp in your delivery actions — like a CEO who seems relaxed because it’s their millionth board meeting, but who already knows everything that’s going on.

3. Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse.

In the days before an Audit Committee meeting, I literally practice in front of the mirror, with my dog, my husband, and sometimes my mother. People who seem the most relaxed in meetings likely have the most detailed knowledge — but they are also the most well-prepared.

Go through your presentation with a colleague or your boss to gauge how long different parts of the presentation take and ask for their honest feedback about your own speaking pace and rhythm. There can be a tendency to speak too quickly when talking to an audience, so you’ll want to practice until you can nail a consistent pace over the entire presentation. As you rehearse, listen for any parts that are difficult to say out loud, and consider rephrasing to make them simpler and less likely to cause you to stumble during your delivery. 

4. Don’t read off of the slides.

Reading off the slides is one of the most mind-numbingly awful ways of presenting. In most cases, the Audit Committee has been given the slides in advance, which means they’ve already read through them and know what’s important to them.

Your presentation talk track should add value beyond what’s written on the slide. For example, if management is implementing a new accounting standard, I would create slides detailing what the new accounting standard is, how or when it would impact the organization, and what internal audit is doing to assist management through this implementation.

During the presentation, I would say, “We’re implementing this standard, and internal audit is working with management and our External Audit team to get it done. We’re about 80% of the way done at the present moment, and we plan to complete the remaining 20% within the next month.” This provides some context about what’s on our minds, what management is doing to be prepared for this requirement, and the completion status beyond the description provided in the slides themselves.

5. Don’t go in cold or freeze.

Going in cold, not knowing anything about what you’re presenting, or not having an answer when somebody asks a meaningful question undermines your credibility. When the Audit Committee asks you a question, they don’t want to hear crickets, watch you stammer out “I don’t know,” or see you run out of the meeting to get an answer.

Although you’re not expected to understand everything that’s going on with the company globally, you should have a strong grasp of the material you’re presenting. Make sure you come equipped with the answers — or at least with some semblance of an answer — for questions that you would anticipate being asked based on the information on your slides. When a question is asked, take a moment to collect your thoughts before replying. It’s far better to pause momentarily to reflect than to give a meandering stream-of-consciousness response. 

6. Take yourself seriously

Seasoned auditors might have a lot of chaos and stress swirling in the background — yet they can make presenting look easy by being clear and succinct in their communications. If you’re not an experienced presenter, my best advice is to prepare and practice. Remember, in this important meeting with executive management and the Board, you are representing the Internal Audit department and the value that you bring to the organization. The process should be given due respect, which includes a high level of professionalism. Consider speaking from a persona similar to that of your audience — putting yourself in the Audit Committee’s position and viewing it from their perspective. Strive to embody the best version of yourself for the duration of the presentation — which will be easier because you will have done the prep work necessary to be well-versed in your subject and confident in your ability to communicate it.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Presenting to the Audit Committee

Sometimes even the best-prepared presentations can run into problems. Avoiding these frequent mistakes helps ensure an Audit Committee presentation is impactful and professional:

1. Overloading Slides with Information: Avoid cramming slides with dense text or excessive data. Instead, focus on clean, concise visuals that support your key points without overwhelming your audience. Include the detailed data for appendices or supplemental handouts.
2. Failing to Connect to the Audit Committee’s Priorities: Tailor your presentation to address what matters most to the Audit Committee: risk areas, management responses, and measurable outcomes. Avoid diving into technical details that don’t align with their strategic focus.
3. Using Excessive Jargon: While technical terms are second nature to an auditor, they can alienate the audit committee. Translate audit findings into clear, accessible language that all committee members can understand, regardless of their background.
4. Rushing Through the Presentation: Nervousness can lead to speeding up, which reduces clarity and makes it harder for your audience to follow. Practice pacing your delivery, and remember to pause for emphasis or to allow questions.
5. Neglecting to Anticipate Questions: A lack of preparation for tough questions can undermine your credibility. Take time to anticipate potential queries based on your material, and prepare concise, thoughtful responses.

Avoiding these common pitfalls will improve any audit presentation and help communicate the findings to the Audit Committee. It will also help paint the auditors as trusted and capable professionals.

Don’t Forget Your Post-Presentation Follow-Up

Many auditors fail to understand that the presentation doesn’t end when the meeting ends. A comprehensive follow-up after the presentation is important to solidify your impact on the audit committee and helps to continue building your credibility. Follow the tips below to help leave a lasting impression:

1. Summarize Key Points in Writing: Within 24-48 hours, send a concise email or memo to the Audit Committee. Highlight the main takeaways from your presentation, and include a quick recap of any action items or decisions made during the meeting.
2. Address Unanswered Questions Quickly: If there were questions you couldn’t address during the meeting, follow up promptly with thorough and thoughtful answers. This shows you’re detail-oriented and committed to providing value.
3. Ask for Feedback: Seek input from your CFO, CAO, or others who attended the meeting. Request constructive feedback on your delivery to identify areas where you can improve for future presentations.
4. Keep Communication Open: Follow up on after-action items that require additional discussion. Maintaining proactive communication helps build trust with the Audit Committee.
5. Reflect on Your Performance: After the presentation, perform an after-active review to highlight what went well and review what could have been done better. Use these insights to refine your approach and strengthen your skills for the next opportunity.

By prioritizing your follow-up, an auditor shows that their work is not limited to the presentation. This reinforces credibility and strengthens the relationship with any Audit Committee. Take post-presentation steps seriously if you are committed to positioning yourself as a trusted and capable professional.

Final Audit Committee Presentation Advice

Whatever your level of experience with presenting to the Audit Committee, it doesn’t have to be a daunting experience. Personally, it was one of my favorite parts of the job and something I looked forward to every quarter. You have the opportunity to hear the ideas and guidance of the most experienced and highest advisors of your organization. It can be an invigorating opportunity to learn and grow as a professional. By getting the lay of the land, being well-versed in what you’re presenting, and putting the best version of yourself forward, you’ll be in a strong position for a successful Audit Committee presentation that satisfies the audience and makes you look like a pro.