Over the past decade, the speed at which risks emerge and evolve has accelerated dramatically, compelling organizations to adapt new strategies and reorder priorities to survive and thrive in an increasingly complex risk environment.

Today’s board members and senior executives must be mindful of a dizzying array of factors, such as disruptive technologies, geopolitical uncertainty, and global economic conditions, that threaten to derail organizational goals. The increasing complexity of such daunting challenges makes it imperative for all players in risk management to be informed and aligned.

The 2019 North American Pulse of Internal Audit identifies four risk areas where internal audit can make its voice heard:

• Ensure the audit plan allocations properly reflect the importance of cybersecurity and IT assurance.
  
  
• Educate stakeholders to the dangers of weak or non-existent controls over third-party relationships.
  
  
• Alert all parties that threats from emerging and atypical risks are growing as technology accelerates.
  
  
• Inform the board and senior management about the benefits that assurance can provide.