Ann-Marie Harkin appointed as Executive Director for Audit Services at Audit Wales

Harkin, who took up the post on 1 March 2021, has spent her career in public sector audit. She joined the National Audit Office (NAO) from university and the Wales Audit Office in 2005, on the merger of the NAO and Audit Commission in Wales.

She has extensive experience of accounts, audit, grants certification, VFM studies and governance reviews. From 1999 to 2002, she was the Private Secretary to the first Auditor General for Wales, setting up working arrangements to support the new devolution settlement.

Between 2011 and 2014, she spent three years on secondment as the Director of Finance and HR for the Wales Audit Office, notably paving the way for new legislative requirements. Earlier in her career, she also enjoyed secondments to the National Museum for Wales and a Big Four accountancy firm.

She has a particular interest in learning and development and is the Qualified Person Responsible for Training (QPRT) for Audit Wales’ ACA trainee scheme and also leads its AAT apprenticeship programme. Trainees in the ACA scheme have won five ICAEW international exam awards in recent years.

Harkin also chairs the Finance Skills Development Group, an award-winning initiative across the wider Welsh public sector. Collaborative events led through the initiative include an annual all-Wales trainee conference, a pan-Wales trainee secondment programme and the new Welsh Public Sector Finance Apprenticeship Scheme.

Away from the world of audit, Ann-Marie is a member of Citizens Advice Trustee Board and is Chair of its Cymru (Wales) Committee.

In 2016, Ann-Marie was personally recognised for her achievements when she was awarded the prestigious Leading Wales Women in Leadership Award.

Further information is available on the Audit Wales website: Ann-Marie Harkin appointed Executive Director at Audit Wales | Audit Wales.