Risk-based internal audit for regulated firms, money services, DNFBPs and corporate businesses. Outsourced internal audit function with half-yearly board reports.
Internal audit gives the Board and Audit Committee independent assurance that controls actually work as intended — not just that they exist on paper.
We deliver internal audit engagements across a wide range of UAE businesses — both regulated entities required to have an internal audit function, and corporate businesses choosing to install one for risk assurance.
Internal audit (IA) is an independent assurance function that tests whether your governance, risk management and internal controls are working — and reports findings to the board, audit committee or senior management. UAE regulators including DFSA, FSRA, SCA and CBUAE require regulated firms to have an internal audit function. Most listed companies, large unlisted groups and SMEs serving regulated counterparties also have one.
Building an in-house internal audit team requires senior auditors, specialist skills (IT audit, regulatory audit, anti-fraud), and rotation to maintain independence. For most UAE firms below a certain scale, that is uneconomic. Outsourcing or co-sourcing internal audit gives you the senior expertise, the methodology, the regulatory currency and the independence — at a fraction of the cost.
For regulated firms, internal audit is typically governed by your regulator's rulebook. The DFSA GEN Rulebook requires Cat 1-3 firms to maintain an effective IA function. The FSRA GEN Rulebook has similar requirements. SCA-licensed brokers and CBUAE-regulated entities have their own IA requirements. ICV-certified suppliers to ADNOC may face IA expectations through their ISO certification too.
We start with a risk assessment workshop — identifying the highest-risk processes and controls in your business. This produces an annual IA plan agreed with your audit committee.
Each review on the plan is scoped, fielded and reported separately. We test the controls, document findings, agree management responses and action owners with deadlines.
Quarterly IA reports to your board / audit committee covering completed reviews, findings, management response status and the IA plan status.
We track management responses to closure. Findings remain on the IA radar until verified as remediated. Annual independent quality assurance review where required.