Statement in Support of Request for Public Comment on the PCAOB’s Draft Five-Year Strategic Plan (2026-2030)

Remarks as prepared for delivery 

Good morning and thank you, Chairman Logothetis.

I am pleased to support the issuance of this draft strategic plan for public comment.

I want to thank all the individuals and organizations that took the time to prepare and submit comment letters in response to our March 31, 2026 request for public comment on the PCAOB’s strategic priorities.¹ As I mentioned then, I thought that approach, a first for the PCAOB, was a beneficial initial step to facilitate the development of the PCAOB’s five-year strategic plan covering the period from 2026 to 2030. The response we received only confirmed that view. I was pleased by the enthusiastic response we received from the full range of stakeholder groups. In total, we received over 70 comment letters.² These comment letters provide the Board and staff with many diverse views, suggestions, and insights, which are all incredibly helpful in furthering our collective thinking on the contours of the PCAOB’s next strategic plan. Moreover, the sheer number of responses ranging from short emails to over twenty pages of detailed text demonstrates the importance to the public of questions about how the PCAOB goes about executing its mission to protect the interests of investors and further the public interest in the preparation of informative, accurate, and independent audit reports.  

The draft strategic plan is informed by three overarching objectives: advancing audit quality and investor protection; being clear and consistent about our expectations and the reasons for our decisions; and transforming our operations through strategic investments in technology and otherwise strengthening already effective aspects of our operations.

Based on those objectives, the draft strategic plan articulates six broad goals and 17 more specific, though still high-level, objectives. The draft plan’s six goals include aspects related to the PCAOB’s primary functions: standard setting, registration, inspections, and enforcement. In addition, they include goals addressing stakeholder engagement and communication, technology and data, and organizational effectiveness.    

In particular, I am pleased that the draft strategic plan continues to focus on engagement with investors and other outside stakeholders. I have long believed that our ultimate success depends on the extent to which we engage with and listen to all stakeholders.

I am also glad the draft strategic plan has a clear emphasis on the use of technology and data. Given the tempo of change that we are experiencing across all facets of the financial reporting ecosystem, it is necessary that the PCAOB ensure that it is diligent in making sufficient investments in technologies, including artificial intelligence tools, that will allow us to fully utilize the data we collect to more quickly gain insights to better support our standard setting, inspection, and enforcement activities going forward.

I want to encourage all stakeholders to consider commenting on the draft strategic plan. I am hopeful that we will receive a similar level of engagement from an equally diverse group of stakeholders as we did during our strategic priorities comment process. While urging your participation in this request for comment, I am mindful that providing detailed and meaningful comments takes time and effort, but I can assure you that your comments are not only read but are carefully considered and inform our thinking. I look forward to reading and reflecting on your comments. Your input is invaluable.

In closing, I want to thank Randy Thornton, our Chief Operating Officer, and Lorene Rosenberg, our Chief Strategy Officer, our Division Directors and Office leaders, and all the PCAOB staff for their dedication and support with this important effort.