The Register of Recognized Auditors was updated on 6 March 2025.
The AOA starts the registration of auditors.
Michael Austin, who has served as the AOA's Chairman since its inception, retired effective 3 May 2022. Alister Mason, the present Deputy Chairman, will act as chairman.
Glen Wigney has been appointed as a director effective 22 November 2021 to serve through 3 May 2022.
Michael Austin has been reappointed as the Chairman and Alister Mason has been reappointed as a director, also assuming the role as Deputy Chairman.
Don Cockburn, who has served as the AOA's Managing Director since December 2013, has retired. From 1 October 2019, Paul Anderton assumed the role of acting Managing Director effective 1 October 2019.
PwC has withdrawn from the Register of Recognized Auditors; the effective date of the withdrawal was 10 May 2019.
Ernst & Young Ltd. was admitted to the Register of Recognized Auditors effective 15 March 2019.
BDO has withdrawn from the Register of Recognized Auditors; the effective date of the withdrawal was 22 January 2019.
Grant Thornton has withdrawn from the Register of Recognized Auditors; the effective date of the withdrawal was 5 June 2018.
The Rules effective 31 October 2017 replace those in effect from 1 December 2014 which have been amended to make provision for “designated companies” and “Authority specified companies” as defined in the Auditors Oversight Law (2017 Revision).
AOA becomes one of 22 signatories to the International Forum of Independent Audit Regulators' Multilateral Memorandum of Understanding for co-operation in the exchange of information between audit regulators around the world.
In March 2017, IFIAR released its fifth annual survey of findings identified by its Members in their individual inspections of audit firms affiliated with six large, international audit firm networks.
The Auditors Oversight Law, 2011 ("AOL") established the AOA and the scope of its operations. The Auditors Oversight (Amendment) Law, 2016 was gazetted on 5 December 2016, making some changes to the AOL.
On 25 July 2016, the EC extended the transitional period granted to the Cayman Islands oversight system for financial years starting from 1 August 2016 to 31 July 2018.
Sue Winspear replaces Garnet Harrison on the AOA Board in July 2016.
European Commission's process of assessing "equivalency" of the AOA oversight regime has begun
AOA completes first inspection
The AOA has gazetted the listing of EU "regulated" markets under Section 2 of the Auditors Oversight Law, 2011.
Regulations to the AOL and Rules have been published
Government to Dissolve Auditors Oversight Authority
Legislation has been passed to dissolve the AOA, which is now in an orderly wind down before cessation of all operations.
The Auditors Oversight (Amendment, Validation and Repeal) Act 2026 was passed by the Cayman Islands Parliament on 29 May 2026. Amongst other things, the Act will result in the dissolution of the AOA.
The AOA is undergoing an orderly wind up of operations and when the process is complete Cabinet will fix a date for the legal dissolution of the AOA. This is expected to be in the third quarter of 2026.
The AOA was originally formed because of a perceived need following the introduction of the EU Audit Directive (Directive 2006/43/EC). In time, it became clear that the Directive alone did not, in fact, warrant the existence of an independent audit regulator in the Cayman Islands. Over the past few years, the AOA, the Cayman based auditing profession, and the Cayman Islands Government had been in protracted discussions about whether a meaningful roll could be found for the AOA within the Cayman Islands regulatory regime. After much deliberation, the consensus was that the AOA could not ever develop a sensible remit in the current market and regulatory circumstances, and that there was no cost/risk reward benefit to continuing to operate.
Further information will be published on this website in due course.
