Helen Munter, Director of Registration and Inspections, to Leave PCAOB after 14 Years of Service

The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board today announced that Helen A. Munter, Director of the Division of Registration and Inspections, will leave the organization at the end of the month after 14 years of service.

As director of the division since 2011, Ms. Munter has played a key role in the oversight of the audit work of all PCAOB-registered firms, both domestic and foreign. She has been a driving force in developing the inspection process that strengthened the Board's efforts to improve audit quality across a broad spectrum of firms.

In this role, Ms. Munter also managed the PCAOB's largest operating division, which includes the Global Network Firm Inspection Program, the Non-Affiliate Firm Inspection Program, the Broker-Dealer Auditor Interim Inspection Program, and firm registration.

"Helen's distinguished service in helping to build and manage the PCAOB inspection teams and programs is greatly responsible for the PCAOB's contributions to improving audit quality and protecting investors in U.S. capital markets," said William D. Duhnke, PCAOB Chairman.

Ms. Munter joined the PCAOB in 2004, serving as the regional director in the San Mateo office, before becoming deputy director in 2008, and team leader for several of the largest and most complex inspections. During that time, she also led the team of accountants that established many of the inspection processes that are in place today.

"It has been a privilege to work with the Board, and the many talented and dedicated individuals in my division and throughout the PCAOB," said Ms. Munter. "I take pride in the improvement in audit quality we've seen over the years, in large part due to the good work of PCAOB inspectors, and our efforts to improve the dialogue with the inspected firms.

"The inspection teams have worked closely together to advance audit quality for the protection of investors, and in fulfillment of the vision of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. I am pleased with what we have accomplished to support and enhance the usefulness and reliability of financial and internal control reporting," she added.

Before joining the PCAOB in 2004, Ms. Munter was an audit partner and deputy in the professional practice group in the San Francisco office of Deloitte & Touche LLP. She spent 16 years at Deloitte in the San Francisco and Barcelona, Spain offices.

Ms. Munter received a B.A. from the University of California at Berkeley. She is a certified public accountant and is fluent in Spanish.