Cape town: During its first meeting of 2026 in Cape Town, South Africa, the Board of Directors of the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) announced that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has won the chairmanship of the institute's board for the 2027-2028 term, represented by President of the General Court of Audit and Chairman of the Board of the Saudi Authority of Internal Auditors (SAIA) Dr. Hussam Alangari.

According to Saudi Press Agency, this win marks a historic milestone for the profession at both the Asian and Arab levels, as it is the first time Saudi Arabia will chair the institute's board since its establishment in 1941. Alangari also becomes the first Asian and Arab to hold the position, reflecting the Kingdom's professional standing and the international community's confidence in its leadership.

The achievement underscores the Kingdom's emergence as a global leader in the internal auditing profession and its active role in shaping professional policies and decision-making within the world's largest international organization in this field.

Alangari emphasized that this milestone was not the result of an individual effort but the outcome of sustained institutional work. He highlighted SAIA's pivotal role in developing the national internal auditing ecosystem, which contributed to its ranking among the world's top 10 professional organizations in internal auditing.

He added that this status increases the Kingdom's responsibility to showcase the progress and maturity of the internal auditing profession, support and highlight national competencies, and promote the sustained excellence and international growth of the field.

On this occasion, the IIA Board of Directors congratulated Alangari on the achievement, noting that the Kingdom's chairmanship represents a qualitative addition to the institute's journey and aligns with Saudi Arabia's hosting of the 2027 International Conference of Internal Auditors in Riyadh.

The IIA is the global professional reference for the internal auditing profession. It is headquartered in Florida, the United States, and has more than 170 affiliates and professional entities, with a global network spanning over 140 countries.