E102 - Peter McLeod - How Data Analytics is Changing the Way Internal Auditors Work

Internal Auditors are like detectives.


They search for clues that will guide them to finding issues
within an organisation.


Whether it’s with the organisation’s risks, operational
effectiveness, or compliance with laws and regulations


And like any good detective - at least, like the ones in TV shows
- they need their trusty magnifying glass to spot all these
little clues that others wouldn’t notice!


Now, that magnifying glass represents data analytics.


With that data analytics in hand, Internal Auditors are changing
the way they work.
Meet Peter McLeod

Peter’s Role as an Information Leader at the University
of Southern Queensland


Peter McLeod is a Director of Assurance Services at the
University of Southern Queensland, where he oversees Risk,
Compliance, and Internal Audit functions. The University of
Southern Queensland is a regional University dedicated to
providing quality degrees and programs in a flexible and
supportive environment. In just over 50 years, the University of
Southern Queensland has become a prominent teaching and research
institution providing education worldwide from three Southern
Queensland locations. For 3 years in a row, the university has
been ranked No. 1 in Australia for graduate starting salary, and
almost 80% of our students gain full-time employment on
completing their degree.
Peter’s Other Work in Information and IT

Before becoming the University of Southern Queensland’s Director
of Assurance Services, Peter took on the role of Associate
Director of Finance, developing a Robotic Process Automation
(RPA) Strategy and deploying it within the university’s Financial
Services. Earlier on in his career with the university, Peter
also took on the role of Project Manager of Travel Systems &
Functional Analyst.


Previously, Peter has also been the Software Development
Management Consultant of Ambush Security Systems, as well as the
Manager of Strategic Projects and the Database Administrator
& Release Co-ordinator at Practical Computer Services. Over
the past 15 years, Peter has published numerous articles on the
topics of Technology and Innovation.
Internal Audits, Data Analytics, and Innovation

In this exclusive analytics podcast episode, Peter shares:


Accidentally becoming an Internal Auditor

Encouraging Internal Auditors to get their name out there

His role as the Director of Assurance Services at the
University of Southern Queensland

How risk and compliance come into play in his work

What his work means for data and analytics professionals

Whether more and more people are shifting to using data in
internal auditing

Advice for internal auditors in other universities in
starting to use data analytics

How Robotic Process Automation and data analytics changes the
way his team works

How he empowers his team to perform the functions using data
analytics

The risk if a functional team is not leveraging emerging
technologies

Encouraging innovation when a team is seen as a functional
team rather than an R&D team

His advice for other functional team leaders looking to
encourage their teams to improve their work through the use of
data analytics



If you are a functional team leader looking to encourage your
team to improve their work through the use of data analytics,
this is the episode you do not want to miss out on.