(MENAFN- EIN Presswire) EINPresswire / -- The Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) has launched the Global Audit Committee Center in Washington, D.C., positioning it as a first-of-its-kind global hub for strengthening audit committees, shaping regulations, and equipping members with advisory tools, best practices, and training. The initiative comes amid what the IIA described as a“critical gap” in resources for audit committee members, particularly standardized policies, oversight training, and frameworks that help boards navigate their fiduciary responsibilities. By centralizing guidance, the Center aims to enhance board effectiveness and reinforce corporate governance worldwide. As part of the rollout, the IIA appointed Abdullah Saleh Alshebeili, the CEO of the Saudi Authority of Internal Auditors and Secretary-General of the Arab Confederation of Internal Auditors, as Chairman of the Center's board. His appointment underscores the IIA's intent to bring together subject-matter experts from across the globe to strengthen audit committee structures, reinforce governance frameworks, and advance international best practices. The Center's initial focus will be on roughly 1,500 audit committee members within Fortune 500 companies, a key segment of an estimated global base of 165,000. Plans call for expansion through partnerships with professional institutes and associations, with training delivered in multiple languages to broaden accessibility. The IIA said the Center will provide strategic guidance, curated educational resources, and high-level events designed to boost board confidence and strengthen ties between audit committees and internal audit executives. The launch also reflects priorities set out in the Internal Audit Vision 2035, which urges closer alignment between audit committees and internal audit executives. By establishing the Center in Washington, the IIA is betting that a more structured approach to oversight will gain traction among global boards, particularly as investors and regulators press for higher standards of governance.

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