Full Name: Libby Skrpan
Current Role: Head of Internal Audit
Current Organisation: Elders
Last Role at PwC: Senior Manager - Internal Audit and Risk Consulting
Time at PwC: 2006 - 2020
What’s the one career achievement you’re most proud of?
There are so many to pick from - I’ve worked on some impactful projects across Australia, Asia and Europe.
I guess the one that was mindset and career changing was making the conscious decision to take a career break and move to the other side of the world to see things from a different perspective. I ‘put myself in my clients’ shoes’ – quite literally as PwC were our auditors! It was an invaluable experience where I developed and rolled out risk management framework for the treasury of the largest UK retail bank at the time.
Why single out this achievement? Learning and reflection on my own capability, influence and confidence has had a profound impact on how I approach things on both a professional and personal front.
What’s been your biggest career challenge and how have you overcome it?
I’ve come from a traditional upbringing where you’re told that, if you work hard, good things will come. Self promotion was not something that people talked about. Later in my career I realised that having confidence to ask for what you want, and you know you can do, is OK.
Also, having a voice when you’re not in the room counts enormously, so finding other voices as supporters is essential. This can be a lonely role with a lot of stigma attached to it and support is welcome.
What’s your fondest memory from your time at PwC?
I have to say the people and opportunities to work on diverse engagements. Some people I’ve met on the PwC journey are lifelong friends. I looked back on my CV and the only industry I haven’t had exposure to before I left the firm was agriculture – hence I picked my next job at Elders and love it.
If I had to reflect on a couple more highlights, they would be:
- Being taken on a private tour of a submarine.
- This one made me feel like I’m on a NCIS TV show - reviewing crime scene investigations, evidence, DNA testing, autopsies - never thought that an audit career would expose me to something like that!
You’ve been involved in internal audit and risk consulting for over 15 years - how has it evolved?
As a fresh university graduate I didn’t know anything about internal audit. I studied information systems so the idea of people, process and technology coming together and inter-relationships between all of them was something I took an interest in.
I started in internal audit (IA) as it seemed a playfield of opportunities and exposure to see the cogs of how different organisations work and operate. Back then, internal audits were a lot more compliance focussed with predictable scope - still important, but not necessarily strategic in nature.
Over the years, IA profession and my career evolved to focus on the organisation’s heartbeat, culture and strategic direction. I also developed an appreciation for the uniqueness of the internal audit role which gives you a helicopter perspective, which not many, if any, other operational roles do. It enables you to bring insights that may not be visible from the surface. I said to myself I will change profession when I get bored. Still after so many years, I have not had two days that were the same.
If I had a dollar for every time I heard from different organisations “you don’t understand our business” I could have retired on a private island. Every business thinks that they are ‘unique’ and there is some truth in that. They have different strategies, growth agendas, customers and operating models, but one common thing is that they have people, processes and technology. This simple concept back from uni days served me as a simple framework to understand the landscape quickly and then apply the ‘unique’ lens. With time you learn to listen and be open-minded.
Businesses I worked with taught me the importance of asking basic questions, keeping a positive mindset with the improvement agenda. They taught me to be relevant, pragmatic and to add value.
So what’s changed? Everything! Auditing tools, scope, and the way we play a more active role in investigations and advisory work. And this will continue to evolve as stakeholder expectations change and with the introduction of new technologies such as Artificial Intelligence.
As someone known for breaking down silos and driving change, what advice would you give to executives seeking to do the same?
- Remove bias, judgement and preconceived views.
- Ask basic questions with the view to truly understand something.
- Listen and be open-minded, but then act on what you can. Listening without action is like running without a destination.
Driving change requires resilience and continuous learning. It’s important to challenge ourselves on how to be better together, not just as individuals. Behind every success, there are generally teams of people, be it sportspeople, surgeons, researchers, etc.
It’s very difficult to achieve success alone, so I think teamwork and diversity of thought are critical in breaking down silos and driving change.
You are a Vice Chair of the Institute of Internal Auditors SA Chapter. What does that mean to you?
It felt the right time to share my experiences and views to influence the profession and assist others to evolve as the profession evolves.
I’m a big believer in the skillset and mindset internal auditors bring. With the view that the IA profession will be made of visionaries, pragmatists and purists by 2035, it gives me a great challenge and opportunity to build and promote the profession.
Others say I sit between being a visionary and pragmatist, as I continue pushing boundaries and advocating for value-add and proactive risk management.
What would you do if you were not an internal auditor?
I’d be an architect or an interior designer - I’m a very visual person and like seeing colours, light and textures that evoke different emotions when put together. I also like to visualise the space and see changes in the build process.
As a child I used to play with building blocks with no instructions, unlike today. Imagination and expression are something I really enjoyed, and continue to enjoy to this day. These days I restore furniture, design homes and create artwork as hobbies to satisfy my creativity.
If you could have dinner with three people - dead or alive - who would they be and why?
Oh that is difficult! I’ll narrow it down to people who would bring fun and great energy, music and would dance like no one’s watching. Because that’s how we do dinners at our house.
- Freddie Mercury – what a legend! Pushed the boundaries and owned his story which has been, and continues to be, so empowering.
- Pink – She’s been sharing her very personal music on her terms despite the boundaries others set at the start of her career.
- Comedian – there are too many I love, so I would work around their availability.
What’s the best thing about living in Adelaide?
Oh, there are so many! Adelaide has changed so much over the last two decades. When I was younger I left Adelaide to work overseas for a few years. I loved it, but it was time to come back to a less hectic pace.
My family is here and my life is here now. I love all different festivals and the art scene, wineries and dining experiences and free access to endless beaches. I’m a Mediterranean girl so I enjoy a similar climate here very much.
What is your special power?
Smile, it makes people wonder what you’re up to.
