Independent internal audit services for businesses that need robust governance without the cost of a full in-house audit team. We conduct risk-based audits across financial, operational, and compliance areas — delivering clear, actionable findings to management and boards.
In brief: Internal audit gives your board independent assurance over how the business actually runs: where cash leaks, where controls fail, and where compliance risk sits. We deliver outsourced and co-sourced internal audit for UAE and GCC groups on a risk-based annual plan, covering revenue, procurement, payroll, treasury, and UAE tax compliance processes. Chartered Accountant and CFA-led, fixed fee, reporting directly to the board.
CFA CharterholderChartered AccountantIIA StandardsRisk-Based AuditFixed FeeBig 4 Trained
Independent Internal Audit Without the Overhead of an In-House Team
Many mid-market businesses in the UAE and GCC need robust internal audit capabilities but can't justify the cost of a full in-house function. Our co-sourced and outsourced internal audit service delivers the same rigour at a fraction of the cost.
Audit Planning
Risk-Based Audit Planning
We begin each engagement with a risk assessment to identify the areas of highest risk to the business — then build an audit plan that focuses time and resources where they matter most. Not a standard checklist but a tailored plan built around your business.
Annual internal audit risk assessment
Risk-ranked audit universe development
Annual audit plan preparation and board approval
Audit scope definition for each engagement
IIA Standards-aligned methodology
Audit Execution
Financial & Operational Audits
We conduct audits across financial controls, operational processes, and compliance requirements — producing findings that are clear, evidence-based, and genuinely useful to management rather than just box-ticking exercises.
Financial controls audit
Revenue and expenditure cycle audits
Procurement and vendor management review
Payroll and HR controls audit
IT general controls review
Reporting
Board-Ready Audit Reporting
Internal audit findings are only valuable if they drive action. Our reports are written for management and boards — clear findings, root cause analysis, risk ratings, and actionable recommendations with agreed management responses and implementation timelines.
Board and audit committee audit reports
Risk-rated findings with root cause analysis
Management action plan tracking
Follow-up audit verification
Annual internal audit effectiveness report
Outsourced & Co-Sourced
Flexible Delivery Models
We offer fully outsourced internal audit (where we act as the entire internal audit function) or co-sourced arrangements (where we work alongside an existing in-house team to provide specialist skills or capacity). Both models can be structured on a fixed annual retainer or per-engagement basis.
Full outsourced internal audit function
Co-sourcing and guest audit arrangements
Fixed annual retainer or per-engagement pricing
Specialist skills support (financial, IT, regulatory)
Interim internal audit head engagements
FAQ
Internal Audit UAE Frequently Asked Questions
Do UAE companies need an internal audit function?+
Listed companies and regulated financial institutions in the UAE are required to maintain an internal audit function. For private companies it is not mandatory, but boards, investors, and lenders increasingly expect it once a business passes roughly AED 50-100M revenue, operates multiple entities, or is preparing for investment, sale, or IPO. For most mid-market UAE groups, an outsourced or co-sourced model delivers the capability at a fraction of the cost of an in-house team.
What does an outsourced internal audit engagement cover?+
A typical annual cycle covers: a risk assessment and audit plan agreed with the board or audit committee, fieldwork across the highest-risk processes (revenue and receivables, procurement and payments, payroll, inventory, treasury, IT access), root-cause findings with practical recommendations, management action tracking, and periodic board reporting. UAE-specific scope usually includes VAT and Corporate Tax compliance processes, WPS payroll controls, and related-party transaction governance.
How is internal audit different from our external audit?+
The external audit gives an opinion on whether the annual financial statements are fairly stated. It is not designed to find fraud, process inefficiency, or control weaknesses unless they are material to the accounts. Internal audit works for the board year-round, tests how the business actually operates, and targets the risks that matter commercially: revenue leakage, procurement fraud, unauthorised payments, and compliance failures that would never surface in a statutory audit.
How much does outsourced internal audit cost in the UAE?+
Fees depend on the number of entities, processes in scope, and audit frequency. A focused annual programme for a single-entity mid-market business is materially cheaper than one full-time internal audit hire, while a multi-entity group programme scales with scope. All fees are fixed and agreed upfront against a defined audit plan, so there are no hourly surprises.