PCAOB Names Gregory J. Jonas to be Director of Research and Analysis

The Public Company Accounting Oversight Board today announced that Gregory J. Jonas will join the organization as Director of the Office of Research and Analysis (ORA).

Mr. Jonas will lead ORA’s financial analysts, economists and other professionals in providing risk and data analysis to support the inspection planning process. This includes assisting the Division of Registration and Inspections in identifying higher risk audits and audit areas for examination. ORA also consults with and provides relevant research and analysis to the Board and other divisions and offices of the PCAOB. 

“We are very proud to have Greg, a former member of the Board’s Standing Advisory Group, join us as Director of ORA,” said PCAOB Chairman James R. Doty. “Greg has extensive experience with financial analysis, financial reporting, accounting standard setting, and auditing.  He is well-known for the breadth of his knowledge and his thoughtful approach to problem-solving.”

Mr. Jonas joins the PCAOB from Morgan Stanley, where he was a managing director in the Equity Research Group. Previously, Mr. Jonas spent six years as a managing director at Moody’s Investors’ Service.

Mr. Jonas spent 23 years at Arthur Andersen, where he began as a staff accountant before becoming a partner and then managing director in the Professional Standards Group. He ended his tenure there leading the technical functions that supported Andersen’s worldwide audit practice.

“Auditors’ service to investors is critically important,” said Mr. Jonas.  “I look forward to working with the Board, staff, regulators, the audit profession and academics to enhance the data and analysis that informs audit policy and risk assessment.”

Earlier in his career, Mr. Jonas served as Executive Director of the AICPA Special Committee on Financial Reporting, which represented a major effort by the U.S. CPA profession to improve the relevance and reliability of the information companies report to investors. He also served as a Practice Fellow at the Financial Accounting Standards Board, where he addressed emerging practice problems. 

Mr. Jonas has published widely, including more than 100 research reports explaining the analytical implications of financial reporting issues, and more than 30 articles on improving business reporting and measuring the quality of financial reporting and audit committees.

Mr. Jonas holds BBA and MBA degrees from the University of Michigan.