As part of Internal Audit Awareness Month, we’re continuing our “Meet the Auditor” series by spotlighting the people helping organisations strengthen governance, improve accountability, and modernise risk with GRC technology.
Meet the Auditor: Yusuf Essa
For this feature, we spoke to Yusuf, Functional Consultant Team Lead at SurTech, about his journey into the GRC technology space, the importance of soft skills in audit, and why auditors are often the people who get to “look behind the curtain.”
Tell us about your role at SurTech?
I’m the Functional Consultant Team Lead at SurTech.
My responsibilities include:
- Leading the Diligent One functional consulting team
- Training and upskilling team members on Diligent One
- Implementing the Diligent One GRC platform and delivering user training
- Conducting data analytics using ACL or Python
How did you go from audit to GRC technology?
It’s a short story because I was still quite young when I joined SurTech.
I spent three years at an audit firm before moving to an insurance company as a Risk Officer. Unfortunately, I was retrenched within the first few months.
Before the business shut down, they were looking to purchase Diligent One, so during the retrenchment process, I attended a SurTech roadshow. I enjoyed what I saw, took a chance to see if they were hiring, and well — I’ve now been with them for over seven years.
What inspired you to pursue internal auditing?
I am aligned to the fundamental purpose and goal of an Internal Auditor — to add value and help organisations.
What skills are most important for modern auditors?
The normal or expected answer is IT or AI, and yes, they are important skills, but one skill will always trump them.
Soft skills: the ability to talk to people, understand them, and explain requirements. No audit, no matter how automated, will succeed if the team lacks soft skills.
What’s the most auditor thing about you outside of work?
Even if I may not fully understand every technical aspect, I want to know what makes things tick and how they work.
What phrase does every auditor hear weekly?
It’s a painful one — I apologise for the PTSD I’m about to cause…
“It’s how it’s always been done.”
Complete the phrase: “You know you’re an auditor when…”
…you’re seated in the basement or forgotten corner.
“You know you’re an auditor when you’re seated in the basement or a forgotten corner.”
– Yussuf Osman Essa, Functional Consultant Team Lead at SurTech
What’s the green flag that tells you an organisation takes governance seriously?
The focus is on resolving findings instead of negotiating them down.
How is technology or AI changing internal audit?
More historical data leads to less guesswork and elbow grease when reporting whether governance is improving or nose-diving.
Why is auditing the coolest job in the world?
You get to look behind the curtains and know how all the tricks work.
As Internal Audit Awareness Month continues, conversations like these highlight the evolving role of auditors — blending technology, analytics, communication, and curiosity to help organisations make better decisions and strengthen governance.
At SurTech, we’re proud to celebrate the professionals helping shape the future of audit through both innovation and human insight.
