The Pre-Read18 Aug 2025

The Scrutiny Spiral: PCAOB in the Crosshairs

The PCAOB is under siege. Critics say it's overreached its mission while supporters argue we've forgotten why it was created: to prevent another Enron or WorldCom.

On this episode of The Pre-Read, Workiva Industry Principals Chelsea Hall and Grant Ostler join for a roundtable to discuss what's broken and what's worth saving. We examine the push to dismantle the board and roll its responsibilities into the SEC. We also discuss what executives need to keep in mind, the importance of maintaining investor confidence in financial reporting, and how leveraging technology can streamline compliance and reduce the burden of documentation.

0:00 Introduction

01:40 What's going on with the PCAOB?

03:20 Is this political theater or a real threat?

05:00 Why the PCAOB matters to the C-suite

06:30 The value of audits as a foundation for capital markets

08:00 Where the PCAOB may have missed the mark

10:15 The cost of compliance

13:30 Investor concerns on regulation and efficiency

16:15 How companies can prepare for change

17:30 Finding the balance between regulation and efficiency

Enjoy this episode? Find past conversations of us surfing the uncharted waters of accounting, finance, risk, and wherever else the waves take us at workiva.com/pre-read-podcast.

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