Topic:
Auditing the Future: ISACA’s Advanced in AI Audit (AAIA) Certification and the New Era of Intelligent Assurance
Synopsis:
Artificial Intelligence is no longer emerging — it’s embedded. As organisations integrate AI into critical systems and decision-making, audit, risk, and cyber professionals face a pivotal challenge: how do we audit what learns, adapts, and evolves?
In this session, Jason Wood (Chair, ISACA Auckland and Managing Director, Triple Ledger) and Rishad Smartt (Senior Manager, Risk & Compliance, Fidelity Life) will explore ISACA’s new Advanced in AI Audit (AAIA) Certification. They’ll highlight its relevance, structure, and how it equips professionals to assess, assure, and govern AI systems effectively.
Beyond certification, the session will delve into the future of AI auditing — covering evolving assurance models, ethical risks, model governance, explainability, and the role of AI-powered audit tools.
The presentation will also touch on New Zealand’s national AI strategy, “Investing with Confidence”, which promotes responsible innovation through a light-touch, principles-based regulatory approach. Attendees will gain insights into how this strategy supports ethical AI adoption and provides practical guidance for businesses.
Key takeaways:
- Why ISACA developed the AAIA credential and its relevance in today’s risk landscape.
- Core competencies: AI governance, model lifecycle assurance, bias detection, data integrity, and transparency.
- The future of AI auditing: from static checklists to dynamic, real-time, and continuous assurance.
- Preparing for a future where AI is both the audited and the auditor.
Join our expert panel to explore AI assurance. We will discuss ISACA’s new AI Audit certification, the future of AI auditing, and strategies for governing evolving, intelligent systems.
Speakers & Panelists:
Rishad Smartt -- Senior Manager, Risk & Compliance, Fidelity Life and Director, ISACA Auckland
Jason Wood - Chair, ISACA Auckland and Managing Director, Triple Ledger, AAIA
Moderator
Jacob Samuel - Manager (Governance Risk Compliance and Cybersecurity), Visa and Vice President, ISACA Auckland
Panelists
Laura Guo - Senior Audit Manager, ANZ and SheLeadsTech Committee Member, ISACA Auckland
Laura Guo is an experienced technology and cybersecurity assurance professional with over 17 years across banking, aviation, and advisory sectors. She’s led audit and assurance programs across cloud, cyber, data, and resilience—most recently at ANZ and Air New Zealand—bringing clarity and structure to complex technical environments.
Laura holds CISSP, CIA, and CISA certifications, is a member of SheLeadsTech, and has contributed to ISACA’s AAIA exam development as well as multiple certification exams for ISC2. She’s known for shaping assurance strategies that connect business context with risk appetite and the realities of how systems actually operate—helping teams make sound decisions, build trust in governance, and run technology environments with confidence.
Manuel Miguez - Senior Information Security Consultant, Westpac New Zealand , AAIA
Manuel Miguez is a seasoned Information Security professional with over two decades of experience spanning the banking, hospitality, and telecommunications sectors across New Zealand, Australia, and Latin America. Currently serving as a Senior Information Security Consultant at Westpac New Zealand, Manuel provides strategic guidance on complex security risks, governance, and secure-by-design practices, while mentoring junior consultants and leading key initiatives such as SWIFT CSP assessments.
Manuel’s expertise lies in Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC), vulnerability management, security architecture, and automation using Microsoft tools. He has played a pivotal role in developing and streamlining secure-by-design processes and has contributed to major technology transformation projects within the financial sector.
He holds a Master of Computing with a research focus on AI and ML for threat detection, and is currently completing an MBA at the University of Canterbury. His commitment to continuous learning is reflected in a broad portfolio of certifications, including CISSP, CISSP-ISSAP, CCSP, CISA, CISM, and most recently, ISACA’s Advanced in AI Audit (AAIA).
Manuel is also an active contributor to the cybersecurity community, having served on the Industry Advisory Board at UNITEC Institute of Technology, and is passionate about bridging the gap between technical security controls and business objectives.
With a multilingual background and a global perspective, Manuel brings a unique blend of technical depth, leadership, and strategic insight to the evolving landscape of AI and cybersecurity.
Abby Zhang - Vice President, ISACA Auckland
Venue:
- On Site: The Pavilion room on the Ground Floor at ANZ, 23 Albert Street, Auckland
- Online
Agenda as follows:
- 12:00 to 12:30 Registration & Networking
- 12:30 – 13:30 Presentation
- 13:30- 13:50 Panel Discussion
- 13:50 -14:00 Q&A and Closing
Please register through ISACA Auckland Chapter Website by:
12.00 PM on Sunday, September 07th, 2025, if you are attending in person & Online
Regards,
Abby Zhang
Vice President
ISACA Auckland