The Register of Recognized Auditors was updated on 6 March 2025.
The AOA starts the registration of auditors.
Michael Austin, who has served as the AOA's Chairman since its inception, retired effective 3 May 2022. Alister Mason, the present Deputy Chairman, will act as chairman.
Glen Wigney has been appointed as a director effective 22 November 2021 to serve through 3 May 2022.
Michael Austin has been reappointed as the Chairman and Alister Mason has been reappointed as a director, also assuming the role as Deputy Chairman.
Don Cockburn, who has served as the AOA's Managing Director since December 2013, has retired. From 1 October 2019, Paul Anderton assumed the role of acting Managing Director effective 1 October 2019.
PwC has withdrawn from the Register of Recognized Auditors; the effective date of the withdrawal was 10 May 2019.
Ernst & Young Ltd. was admitted to the Register of Recognized Auditors effective 15 March 2019.
BDO has withdrawn from the Register of Recognized Auditors; the effective date of the withdrawal was 22 January 2019.
Grant Thornton has withdrawn from the Register of Recognized Auditors; the effective date of the withdrawal was 5 June 2018.
The Rules effective 31 October 2017 replace those in effect from 1 December 2014 which have been amended to make provision for “designated companies” and “Authority specified companies” as defined in the Auditors Oversight Law (2017 Revision).
AOA becomes one of 22 signatories to the International Forum of Independent Audit Regulators' Multilateral Memorandum of Understanding for co-operation in the exchange of information between audit regulators around the world.
In March 2017, IFIAR released its fifth annual survey of findings identified by its Members in their individual inspections of audit firms affiliated with six large, international audit firm networks.
The Auditors Oversight Law, 2011 ("AOL") established the AOA and the scope of its operations. The Auditors Oversight (Amendment) Law, 2016 was gazetted on 5 December 2016, making some changes to the AOL.
On 25 July 2016, the EC extended the transitional period granted to the Cayman Islands oversight system for financial years starting from 1 August 2016 to 31 July 2018.
Sue Winspear replaces Garnet Harrison on the AOA Board in July 2016.
European Commission's process of assessing "equivalency" of the AOA oversight regime has begun
AOA completes first inspection
The AOA has gazetted the listing of EU "regulated" markets under Section 2 of the Auditors Oversight Law, 2011.
Regulations to the AOL and Rules have been published
Complaints may take two forms:
In both instances, the complaint should be addressed to the Managing Director, and submitted through the Administration and Finance Manager whose contact details can be found here: [AOA contact details]. If the Managing Director is the subject of the complaint, the complaint can be made to the Chairman by writing to the Authority’s office and marking the correspondence for the Chairman’s attention or by emailing the Administration and Finance Manager, whose contact details are above, and requesting that it be forwarded to the Chairman.
We will seek to acknowledge all written complaints that we receive within 7 working days and provide a response within a further 25 working days.
The AOA will consider and, in its discretion, may investigate complaints that appear to involve a breach of the Auditors Oversight Law or the Rules.
The Law can be found here: [AOL] and the Rules can be found here: [Rules]
Provided the issues raised fall within our remit we will decide whether:
All complaints will be treated confidentially. We will not normally act on anonymous complaints but we will consider them to identify whether they provide support or information relevant to our work.
The AOA’s definition of a complaint is "an expression of dissatisfaction, however made, about the standards of service, actions or lack of action by the AOA, or its staff, in carrying out its obligations under the Auditors Oversight Law.”
We will consider complaints about the following:
We will not consider complaints about matters for which the Rules provide specific processes and remedies.
If you have any concerns or are dissatisfied with any part of our work, you should first give us a chance to deal with your complaint informally. If you wish to make a formal complaint this can be done in writing (by email or post). We will not normally act on anonymous complaints. However we will review them to identify any patterns of behavior or misconduct.
If your complaint is found to be justified, we will write to apologise to the people concerned, and if necessary, will consider remedial action. If we conclude that your complaint is not justified, we will write to you to explain why.
