PCAOB Names George Botic the Director of International Affairs

The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board announced today that George Botic will succeed S. Bruce Wilson as the Director of International Affairs. Mr. Wilson plans to retire, as announced today.

Mr. Botic will lead the PCAOB's efforts to negotiate and implement cooperative arrangements with non-U.S. auditor oversight bodies and represent the PCAOB in bilateral and multilateral meetings with non-U.S. governments and regulators.

"George has seasoned insight and understanding of the PCAOB's oversight activities and our relationships with our international counterparts. His strong and capable leadership will benefit investors in our markets," said Chairman James R. Doty. "He has ably served the PCAOB in various critical roles, and in each of these roles, he has served as a mentor to numerous inspectors and other staff throughout the PCAOB's offices."

"I am deeply committed to the PCAOB's mission to protect investors through high quality audits," Mr. Botic said. "It is an honor and a privilege to continue to serve that mission and to work with the talented and highly professional staff of the Office of International Affairs."

Mr. Botic joined the PCAOB staff in 2003, shortly after the PCAOB opened its doors, as an inspector in the Division of Registration and Inspections. Over the past 14 years, he has risen to various roles of expanding responsibility. In 2004, he took on a role to coordinate and report on the 200-plus inspections of small- and mid-size registered public accounting firms that the PCAOB conducts each year.

In 2008, the PCAOB expanded Mr. Botic's role to include coordination of the triennial inspections of the 150-plus non-U.S. firms subject to an inspection requirement, ultimately promoting him to Deputy Director of the Division of Registration and Inspections in 2009.

In that role, Mr. Botic also served as the division's representative in all matters related to international regulatory relations, working closely with the Office of International Affairs to establish and maintain cooperative arrangements with non-U.S. regulators.

He brought that expertise and experience to the Office of the Chairman in 2014, when he became Special Advisor to Chairman James R. Doty. In that role, he advised the Chairman on a broad range of topics and represented the PCAOB in external meetings, including negotiations to gain access to inspect in countries where registered firms are located; and other discussions to promote international coordination. He has been instrumental in reaching many of the PCAOB's cooperation agreements.

"In my view, there couldn't be a better choice than George to lead the Office of International Affairs going forward and to take on the PCAOB's international challenges that lie ahead," said Mr. Wilson.

"George is deeply knowledgeable about the PCAOB's inspections and other oversight activities and has been an able and indefatigable partner with the Office of International Affairs in building solid relationships with our counterparts around the world," he added.

Before joining the PCAOB, Mr. Botic was a senior manager in the Washington office of PricewaterhouseCoopers. Mr. Botic is a graduate of Shepherd University and received a Master of Accountancy from Virginia Tech.