At the recent XVIII Audit Forum of Euskadi, held in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Juan Alberdi, Director of Financial Policy and Social Security of the Basque Government, focused on a transversal concept for all debates shaping the evolution of auditing in the coming years: trust. He argued that the solidity of an economy depends not only on economic or financial indicators but also on the existence of strong institutions, clear rules, reliable information, and professionals committed to rigor and transparency.
This forum brought together professionals and sector representatives to analyze the main future challenges of the auditing profession. Alberdi stressed that auditing plays an essential role in the proper functioning of the economic and financial system by guaranteeing the reliability of information, facilitating investment decisions, preventing risks, and reinforcing transparency and accountability.
“"There cannot be a solid financial system without reliable information, nor can there be lasting trust without transparency."
The XVIII Audit Forum addressed key issues for the future of the profession, such as regulation, supervision, talent acquisition, generational succession, and the impact of new technologies. Regarding the latter, Alberdi highlighted the opportunities offered by artificial intelligence to improve information analysis, risk detection, and process efficiency, while warning that technology must always be accompanied by professional judgment and the responsibility of its users.
The Director of Financial Policy and Social Security framed these challenges within the context of the economic transformation facing Euskadi and reaffirmed the Basque Government's commitment to strengthening a financial ecosystem capable of driving competitiveness, innovation, and sustainable economic development. He also emphasized the importance of public-private collaboration, institutional stability, and legal certainty as factors that contribute to generating trust and attracting investment.
Alberdi also highlighted the role of Voluntary Social Security Entities (EPSV), which manage assets exceeding 32.6 billion euros, equivalent to about a third of the Basque GDP, and recalled the responsibility of institutions in ensuring their solvency, transparency, and good governance.
The institutional opening of the forum also included the participation of Mercedes Pascual, president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of the Basque Country, and Manu Gardeazabal, president of the Registry of Auditor Economists of the Basque College of Economists. Alberdi conveyed a message of recognition to auditing professionals for their contribution to strengthening trust in the economy, while encouraging them to face the technological transformation process without abandoning the principles that underpin the profession: independence, rigor, and responsibility.
