Forbes Insights interviewed MIQ Logistics CFO, Brenda Stasiulis, and other CFOs and CEOs to gain insight on the future of auditing quality, overall value, and how the “explosion” of data and new technologies were changing the profession. The report analyzes areas in which audit needs to evolve and what auditors need to do to keep pace with the changing expectations of clients. To download a pdf of the full study, go to Forbesinsights.com.
MIQ CFO Brenda Stasiulis shared her experience with partnership and continuity and the importance of having an auditor who can bridge from the past to the future. “I was an auditor for 15 years, and I understand that their day job is to deliver the audit. However, auditors have such a broad view of our industry that I expect them to act more like a partner and provide insights that we may not be aware of that can help us run our business better,” she said. “I also think that continuity is very important. We have had the same auditor and the same senior manager on our account since we became a stand-alone entity in 2010. He has taken the time to learn our business and to understand what’s important, what’s not important and how we are different from other companies in our industry. That type of continuity and leadership is invaluable,” Stasiulis added. 
Stasiulis also shared her thoughts on why the auditor profession itself has its own set of challenges. Stasiulis suggested that accounting firms trying to hire may want to look at their branding to attract the best and the brightest. “A big buzzword right now in middle schools and high schools is STEM, which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. Engineering firms have capitalized on this popularity and are attracting new talent in droves,” she says. “Accounting firms need to connect with a current theme—big data, for example—and drive that same elevated interest. Accounting needs to be seen as more forward-looking, futuristic and high-tech to capture the interest and imagination of young people.”
To download a pdf of the full study, go to Forbesinsights.com.