Ziad Akkaoui, CIA, CISA, CPA, CA
National Practice Leader, Risk Advisory
Executive summary
Ziad Akkaoui is a Partner and National Risk Advisory Practice Leader at BDO Canada, with more than 20 years of experience helping organizations strengthen governance, manage enterprise risk, and navigate increasingly complex regulatory, technology, and operational environments. He works closely with Boards, executives, and management teams to align risk, compliance, and control environments with strategic growth objectives and transformation initiatives.
Ziad advises public and private organizations across Canada, with a strong focus on the financial services, technology, and fintech sectors, where regulatory expectations, digital transformation, and innovation continue to converge. His experience spans enterprise risk management, internal audit transformation, governance modernization, third-party assurance, regulatory compliance, privacy, and operational resilience. Increasingly, he supports organizations in advancing AI governance frameworks and integrating emerging technology risks into enterprise oversight and decision-making structures.
Known for his collaborative and commercially minded approach, Ziad helps clients modernize risk and control environments while enabling innovation, scalability, and sustainable growth. He has led complex engagements involving SOX 404 and NI 52-109 compliance, outsourced and co-sourced internal audit functions, governance and controls transformation initiatives, and privacy and compliance program enhancements.
Ziad also specializes in System and Organization Controls (SOC) reporting engagements under CSAE 3416, SSAE 21, and ISAE 3402, supporting organizations seeking to enhance trust, transparency, and resilience across outsourced services, digital platforms, and critical business operations.
He brings deep expertise in leading governance and risk frameworks, including COSO ERM, COBIT, NIST, the CIS Critical Security Controls, and the IIA Global Internal Audit Standards.
Professional affiliations
Certified Internal Auditor (CIA)
Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA)
Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA)
Chartered Accountant (CA)
Professional designations and education
Bachelor of Commerce, Accounting – Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec (2005)