Why a General Counsel Pursued the Certified Internal Auditor (CIA)

The Institute of Internal Auditors Presents: All Things Internal Audit In this episode, Christina Brune sits down with Randolph Sergent, executive vice president and general counsel at CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, to discuss why he decided to pursue the Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) designation despite spending his career in the legal profession. Sergent shares how earning the CIA helped him better understand audit planning, enterprise risk management, and the role of internal audit within an organization. The conversation also explores leadership, continuous learning, professional development, and why executives should invest in understanding the functions they support. HOST: Christina Brune Director of Certifications Outreach and Engagement, Institute of Internal Auditors GUEST: Randolph Sergent, CIA Executive Vice President and General Counsel, CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield   KEY POINTS: Introduction and Career Journey [00:00:42-00:01:15] Why a General Counsel Pursued the CIA [00:01:16-00:03:00] What He Learned About Internal Audit and Standards [00:03:01-00:05:00] How the CIA Improved Conversations With the CAE [00:05:01-00:07:25] Balancing Executive Leadership and CIA Studies [00:07:26-00:10:00] Customer Service and Communication in Internal Audit [00:10:01-00:11:04] Study Strategy and Preparing for the Exams [00:11:05-00:12:14] Enterprise Risk Management and Audit Planning [00:12:15-00:13:59] How Audit Knowledge Changed Leadership Conversations [00:14:00-00:14:51] Creating a Culture of Continuous Learning [00:14:52-00:17:01] Leading by Example as an Executive [00:17:02-00:18:14] Why Leaders Should Invest in Understanding Their Teams [00:18:15-00:21:16] Advice for Executives Considering the CIA [00:21:17-00:22:49] Thoughts on the CIA Challenge Exam [00:22:50-00:24:34]