Auditor Proud Day 2026

On 24 September 2026, #TeamBDO celebrates our auditors across the globe. Recognising the vital role they play in strengthening both our network and our profession.

This year, we want to highlight the strength of our global Audit community and the expertise, integrity and dedication our people bring to clients, colleagues and communities, every day.

To bring this story to life, we have interviewed some of our audit team, sharing their authentic perspectives. Thank you to Laura Jackson, Clare Morrison, Adam Faltynowski and Sarah Louani for telling us your story.

Laura Jackson, Partner & Head of Audit

What makes me most proud of our auditors, and how we’re building future-ready skills

What makes me most proud is the combination of uncompromising integrity, a relentless focus on quality, and the collaborative, people-first culture our auditors live every day. They don’t just “do the work”; they ask the right questions, challenge assumptions, and deliver conclusions that clients, investors, and regulators can rely on. We like to call this: people helping people. At the same time, our team lift each other up, sharing knowledge, mentoring, and creating an environment where people feel valued, want to grow and stay to have a long and fulfilling career. Call it idealistic if you like, but to us, exceptional means everyone in the room feels included, no exceptions with everyone bringing their best version of themselves to the table with opportunities for all.

To make sure they’re ready for what’s next, we’re investing beyond core technical audit skills into the capabilities the future demands: digital fluency, data analytics, commercial acumen, leadership, and communication. That means structured learning, innovation programmes, and practical AI adoption so teams can work in a technology-enabled environment while sharpening the professional judgement and critical thinking that great auditing requires. We see AI as an accelerator of audit quality and efficiency, not a substitute for auditors.

The unique role of auditors in creating confidence

Auditors play a distinctive role in the economy because we provide independent assurance that underpins trust. Investors, lenders, regulators, boards, and the wider public depend on accurate, transparent financial information to make decisions that affect capital allocation, strategy, and risk. By bringing independence, professional scepticism, and objectivity to our work, we strengthen accountability and governance, not just validating numbers, but reinforcing confidence in the systems and reporting that keep markets functioning well. In a more complex, fast-changing world, that role is more important than ever.

How innovation is changing audit and why human insight matters more, not less

Innovation is reshaping how we audit: automation and AI help us analyse larger datasets, spot patterns, and focus testing where risk truly lies. Tools that reduce time spent collecting and checking information free our people to spend more time understanding issues and advising clients on what to do about them. Across BDO, the emphasis is on “people behind AI” using technology ethically and responsibly to augment judgement, not replace it.

We see the future of audit isn’t humans versus technology; it’s the best of both working together to deliver higher quality, deeper insight, and greater value.

Clare Morrison, Audit Staff

My journey to becoming a Chartered Accountant began when I joined the Accountancy course at Ulster University in September 2020. Starting university as a mature student was not an easy decision, I was nervous about the journey ahead and unsure what the next few years would bring. Looking back now, I couldn’t be prouder that I took that first step.

After three years of hard work, dedication and commitment, I graduated with First-Class Honours in Accounting in May 2023. Following graduation, I was delighted to be offered a training contract with BDO Northern Ireland within the Audit department.

During my training contract, I successfully completed my CAP2 exams in Summer 2024, passing all four exams at the first attempt. I then went on to sit my Final Admitting Exams (FAEs) in Summer 2025, once again passing both exams first time. Reaching this point is something I am incredibly proud of, particularly as I have balanced the demands of studying and a professional career alongside being a mum to three children and managing a busy household. I am incredibly grateful for the support, encouragement and patience of my family, who have been there every step of the way.

Hard work, determination and the belief that it was possible have helped me get to where I am today. I am extremely proud of everything I have achieved so far and excited to take the next step in my journey as a Chartered Accountant.

If there is one thing this journey has taught me, it is that it is never too late to pursue your goals — and with determination, perseverance and the right support around you, anything is possible

Adam Faltynowski, Senior Manager

My journey to audit began all the way back in secondary school, although at the time I wasn’t quite sure where it would take me. My ability at maths and enthusiasm for business studies, made it an easy choice when selecting accounting at Queen’s University Belfast. From there I got an opportunity to be part of the BDO NI audit team, seven years later in 2026, I’m still here and proud to be.

As to why this is, firstly from a personal note, I moved to Northern Ireland at age of eight, not speaking English, therefore to get this far, integrating, coming out of university with a first class honours degree and being part of a high-performing team of professionals is a joy and testament to the hard work I’ve put in as well as the fantastic support I received throughout the years from my teachers and others around me.

The day-to-day work in the department is varied, I get a chance to be involved in managing audits, supporting teams with technical accounting and IT knowledge, working on financial statement preparation and review as well as others. This makes each day different and I’m able to develop a wide range of skills in a way that would be near impossible to replicate anywhere else.

The one part of the role that I take pride in above all, is supporting our clients or staff, whether it is trainees or other members of the management team. Being a problem solver and someone that the team can reach out to for help, is a real pleasure, as I get to see others develop their skills, become Chartered Accountants or simply make their day easier.

The journey to audit has been one that I couldn’t have made without the help of others, as such I aim to return the favour and be a support mechanism to others just like they have been for me.

Sarah Louani, Audit Trainee

My journey to becoming a trainee auditor wasn’t exactly a straight line. I was studying Accounting with French at QUB, fully set on doing my placement year in France as part of my degree. However, I first came across audit when BDO came to Queen’s for a day during their Business Insight Programme, working with school students from across Northern Ireland. When France didn’t work out due to personal circumstances beyond my control, I switched my degree from Accounting with French to pure Accounting and secured a placement with BDO NI. That placement ended up changing everything as I soon realised audit was for me, and now I’m about to start my training contract with BDO.

This summer I’ve been working on Solicitors Accounts Regulations audits, getting to grips with all the standard procedures and regulations that come with that kind of work. It’s detailed and rigorous, and I’ve learned so much already thanks to BDO NI’s management team. The part that makes me most proud to be an auditor is that moment when you realise you can genuinely help a client, while they also help you understand their way of doing business. You learn how their firm actually runs day to day, and in return you’re the person they trust to get it right. It’s a mutual understanding.

Auditing here in Northern Ireland is truly enriching, given the variety of industries across the country. Being the person a client can rely on is a genuine privilege. Three years ago, I barely knew what an auditor was, but I’m so glad I’ll soon get to call this my profession.