IRBA Newsletter Issue 48

Issue 48 | October - December 2019 19 CEO SPEAKS ON THE STATE OF THE PROFESSION AT AN ABASA CONFERENCE OBITUARY: JUDGE WILLEM VAN DER LINDE It was with great sadness that we learnt of the passing of Judge Willem van der Linde. He was the chairman of the IRBA’s Disciplinary Committee from 1 April 2006 to 31 March 2011; and the chairman of the Board from 1 April 2011 to 31 March 2015, while he was a Senior Counsel. Besides setting the tone for oversight and public protection during his tenure, he was responsible for crafting the IRBA’s Four-Pillar Strategy, which has been the framework for the vision he and the Board, at the time, had for audit regulation. His understanding of the audit profession, in which he was not trained, was remarkable. It attested to his extraordinary ability to guide, lead and motivate the directorate through challenging times. As he recalled during his farewell hosted by the IRBA, he always appreciated and enjoyed the briefings ahead of each meeting, whether it was at his chambers or his home. He said this assisted him to be fully prepared for the important decisions he had to make on behalf of the auditing profession. Willem was a true professional and gentleman, and we will always remember the invaluable contribution he made during the IRBA’s start-up years – a contribution that will be felt for years to come. GENERAL NEWS IT’S TIME FOR CONCERTED EFFORTS: During his keynote address at the Advancement of Black Accountants of Southern Africa conference held recently, IRBA CEO Bernard Agulhas called for a united front in restoring the audit profession’s reputation. “By holding all those accountable through regulatory oversight and allowing for speedy consequences for failure to execute good governance, we will be able to move from lip service to embedding a spirit of good governance at our entities – an action that is vital for business to succeed and for our economy to grow,” he said.