Search for a Head of Audit

The Brief

A major global investment bank approached Hybridge to conduct a search for a new Regional Head of Internal Audit, of the highest calibre, following the departure of the previous incumbent. Senior internal audit searches at global investment banks are rarely straightforward. The standards are exacting, the stakeholders are numerous, and the candidate pool, while not small, must be approached with a level of discretion and sophistication that reflects the seniority and sensitivity of the role.

The Challenge

The complexity of this search lay not primarily in finding candidates at this level, credible individuals exist, but in managing the process to a successful conclusion. The bank had exacting standards, as would be expected of a global institution across multiple jurisdictions, with multiple senior stakeholders in London, New York, and Asia all wishing to be involved in the assessment and decision-making process.

An additional layer of sensitivity shaped how the search needed to begin. Given the internal profile of the role and the discretion required, initial conversations with candidates were to take place informally, before any structured process was initiated. This required careful judgement in how approaches were framed and relationships managed from the outset.

Coordinating interviews, assessments, feedback, and approvals across time zones and seniority levels, while keeping the best candidates engaged and the process moving, required constant and careful management. The risk in a process of this complexity is that the best candidates disengage if the process becomes slow or opaque. Maintaining momentum and transparency on both sides was as important as identifying the right people in the first place.

The Process

Hybridge conducted an extensive market map of senior internal audit professionals with relevant global investment banking experience, reducing this to a long list of the most credible candidates before refining further to a focused shortlist for approach. Given the sensitivity of the search, all initial conversations took place informally and confidentially, with no job posting, no advertising, and no market visibility at any stage.

Twenty-two candidates were approached directly, drawing on a network built over three decades of exclusive focus on financial services internal audit executive search. Twelve were assessed in detail. A shortlist of five was presented, and three candidates progressed to multi-stage interviews involving senior stakeholders across London, New York, and Asia. Throughout, Hybridge managed the logistics, maintained communication with all parties, and ensured the process moved at a pace that kept the best candidates engaged.

The preferred candidate, a highly regarded senior audit leader with direct global investment banking experience across multiple asset classes, was appointed at fourteen weeks from instruction.

The Outcome

Post-appointment feedback from both the client and the appointed candidate highlighted three things: the quality of candidate briefing, the management of a complex multi-stakeholder process across jurisdictions, and the speed of delivery relative to the firm's previous experience of senior audit searches at this level.

Our Approach to Head of Audit and SMF5 appointments

Every SMF5, Head of Audit / Chief Auditor search at Hybridge is led personally by Andy Winterburgh.

Andy placed his first Head of Internal Audit in 2000 and has since completed senior internal audit leadership appointments across the full spectrum of UK and international financial services: FTSE100 and FTSE250 banking groups, global investment banks, wealth and asset managers, insurers, and market infrastructure firms.

That unbroken 25 year track record in a single specialism means Andy knows every serious candidate at Chief Auditor level personally. In most cases he has tracked their careers across multiple firms, understands their strengths and leadership styles in depth, and can make an informed judgement about fit before a single CV is presented.

How our SMF5 searches work in practice

Each search follows a structured four-stage process:

Stage 1 — The Brief. Andy conducts a detailed briefing with the relevant stakeholders to understand not just the role specification but the firm's culture, audit methodology, regulatory relationships, and what success looks like in the first 12 months.

Stage 2 — Market Mapping. A comprehensive map of every credible candidate in the market is compiled, drawing on 25 years of relationships and live market intelligence. This is not a database search, it is a current, human assessment of who is genuinely available, who could be approached, and who represents the right fit.

Stage 3 — Discreet Outreach. Candidates are approached personally and confidentially. The client's identity is protected until mutual interest is established. Only a carefully selected shortlist is presented.

Stage 4 — Process Management. Andy manages the entire interview and selection process, provides candidate feedback, handles offer negotiation, and remains available throughout the notice period and into the candidate's first weeks in role.

Planning a Head of Audit Appointment?

Whether you have an immediate vacancy or are planning ahead, the right time to speak to Andy Winterburgh is before the pressure is on.

Head of Audit appointments are among the most consequential hiring decisions a financial services firm makes. Getting it right matters, and getting it wrong is costly well beyond the recruitment fee.

Succession Planning Many of Andy's most successful appointments began as a conversation well before a vacancy existed. A planned succession allows time to identify the right candidate and manage the transition.

Immediate Requirements If you have an urgent vacancy, Andy can move quickly without compromising quality. Because he maintains candidate relationships continuously, not just when a search is active, Hybridge can compress timelines that traditional search firms cannot match.

Complete Confidentiality All conversations are strictly confidential. Many clients speak to Andy before making any internal decision about how to proceed. That is precisely the right time to get in touch.

To discuss a senior internal audit appointment, contact Andy Winterburgh directly at andyw@hybridge.co.uk