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Eleven S&P 500 board members worked at the same Big Four accounting firm that audits their company.
The ties may create conflicts of interest when boards pick auditors and review their work.
The new SEC chair soon could revisit which auditor relationships it sees as OK and not OK.
Hiring board members with years of experience at a Big Four firm can be a big boon for large companies, as accounting experts can guide them through the auditing process and address weak spots.
But when a board member previously worked at the accounting firm that then audits their company, the direct relationship could increase the risk of conflicts of interests, experts and watchdogs say, especially if they re on committees that elect auditing partners, which conduct independent reviews of financial records to ensure they re correct and follow regulations and laws