Enhancing audit committee leadership and influence
Audit committees play an extraordinarily important role in corporate governance. They are a critical player in establishing confidence and trust in capital markets by ensuring high-quality, reliable financial reporting. In addition, many audit committees are now charged with overseeing additional risks, including vitally important areas such as cybersecurity.
Chairing the audit committee of a large public company is difficult. There are no one-size-fits-all solutions. Success requires judgment, developed from personal experience and insight from others who have faced similar situations.
Since 2007, the Central Audit Committee Network (CACN) has helped its members—the chairs of the audit committees at large public companies—succeed. Three times each year, Central members gather for a confidential group discussion. The conversations sometimes feature world-class guests, but the members’ voices dominate, and the agendas are driven by the audit chairs.
Tapestry Networks orchestrates the network, building on 15 years of convening board leaders in meaningful conversations. Tapestry helps members prepare for meetings with insightful, original reading material that draws upon tailored research and pre-meeting interviews with members and other leading thinkers. The meetings are synthesized into post-meeting publications that can be shared with colleagues. Everything is done under a non-attribution agreement that ensures candor and protects personal and company confidentiality.
Our members include:
- Kapila Anand, Elanco Animal Health
- Anne Arvia, GATX
- Bruce Besanko, Diebold Nixdorf
- John Bryant, Macy's
- Stuart Burgdoerfer, Progressive
- Pat Condon, Entergy
- Frank Dellaquila, Reliance Steel & Aluminum
- Lisa Flavin, Caleres
- Cheryl Francis, Morningstar
- Marla Gottschalk, Big Lots and Reynolds Consumer Products
- Mike Hanley, BorgWarner
- Rejji Hayes, Fortive
- Cara Heiden, Casey's General Stores
- Sandy Helton, Covetrus
- Jay Henderson, The J.M. Smucker Company
- Frank Jaehnert, Nordson
- Ginger Jones, Tronox Holdings
- Laurette Koellner, Celestica, Nucor, and Papa John’s International
- Blythe McGarvie, LKQ Corporation
- Cary McMillan, Hyatt Hotels
- Michael Merriman, Regis
- Ralph Nicoletti, Arthur J. Gallagher
- Neil Novich, Hillenbrand
- Derrick Roman, CommScope
- Abbie Smith, HNI
- Al Smith, Simon Property Group
- Sherry Smith, Deere & Company
- Michael Todman, Brown-Forman
- Richard Wallman, SmileDirectClub
- Phoebe Wood, Invesco and Leggett & Platt
- Ray Young, International Paper
PUBLICATIONS
April 2023 Audit committee agendas have never been more crowded. A volatile macroeconomic environment, a spate of new reporting requirements, and rapidly evolving technologies all mean that a
December 2022 As business, regulatory, and risk environments evolve and become increasingly complex, internal audit (IA) must also evolve. In addition to providing objective assurance, internal
August 2022 Most board members agree that a company’s greatest asset is its people. The pandemic has thrust people, talent, and leadership into the forefront of large public company boards’ co
April 2022 Cybersecurity oversight is a challenge for the board of every large company. The threat landscape is constantly changing; Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is the latest in a string of
November 2021 Environmental and social issues dominated the 2021 proxy season. Companies faced pressure from investors, employees, customers, and regulators to both enhance their environmental,
July 2021 Audit committee chairs were amazed by the success their companies and boards displayed as an unprecedented crisis upended well-established processes. As offices reopen and boards r
