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Description

Audit Reporting: Prioritising Findings, Writing the Executive Summary and Presenting Results

Produce a report the committee actually reads and from which it retains the three essential messages

  • 0.43 days — 3 h
  • In-person or virtual
  • Intermediate
  • Up to 6 participants

The report comes at a point when the assignment already feels mentally complete. It is then drafted under time pressure, by stitching working papers together: dozens of pages in which everything sits at the same level, an executive summary that follows the chronological order of the fieldwork rather than the messages, and an oral presentation that runs through the slides without any sense of priority.

These three hours address the production of the report and its presentation. They cover the architecture of the document, the writing of the executive summary intended for senior management, the formulation of a clearly owned audit opinion and the delivery of the oral presentation in the face of reactions from auditees.

Learning objectives

  • Structure the report around messages rather than around the sequence of fieldwork
  • Write an executive summary that a non-specialist reader can follow
  • Formulate a clearly owned audit opinion consistent with the findings
  • Prioritise findings and calibrate the appendices
  • Deliver the oral presentation and handle reactions from auditees

What makes this programme different

An existing executive summary is reworked during the session until it fits on a single page
Prioritisation of findings is tested on a lengthy report
The oral presentation is role-played with an auditee who challenges a finding in the room

Programme

1Structuring the report

Organising by messages rather than by fieldwork

  • Choosing the structure according to the report's recipients
  • Prioritising findings and the level of detail attached to each
  • Positioning of evidence and content of the appendices
  • Consistency between findings recommendations and opinion

2Writing to be read

The executive summary determines the report's impact

  • Writing the executive summary for senior management
  • Formulating the opinion and any qualifications
  • Factual and neutral wording of findings
  • Measured use of tables and visuals
  • Cross-review before circulation

3Presenting and circulating

Holding your ground before the auditee and the committee

  • Preparing the presentation material and managing speaking time
  • Adapting the message to the audit committee and to operational management
  • Handling challenges raised during the meeting
  • Circulation channel and archiving of the report

Who is it for

Internal auditors and internal control officers in post, together with heads of audit responsible for presenting assignment results.

Prerequisites

Prior practical experience in internal audit or internal control

Dates & locations

12 scheduled dates between November 2026 and December 2027. Seats are confirmed in the order enquiries are received.

November 2026

December 2026

January 2027

February 2027

March 2027

April 2027

May 2027

June 2027

September 2027

October 2027

November 2027

December 2027

None of these dates suit you? We open additional sessions on request, and any programme can be run privately for your team.

Practical details

Before the programme
Online positioning questionnaire. Your development objectives are shared with the trainer, who tailors the practical case studies to your context.
Teaching methods
Theoretical input, workshops and practical case studies. Digital course materials and method sheets provided.
Assessment
Multiple-choice tests and role-play exercises. Assessment of learning at the start and end of the programme, with immediate and 60-day follow-up evaluations.
After the programme
One year of access to the e-learning platform. Self-assessment of the skills acquired and a 30-day follow-up session with your trainer.
How to register
Registration online or on the basis of a quotation.
Lead time
11 working days after confirmation of registration.
Accessibility
Accessible to people of determination. Contact our accessibility coordinator to design a suitable solution: contact@mpf-academy.ae
Start dates
Rolling intake: in addition to the scheduled sessions, this programme can start on request.