What constitutes a good internal audit? For Thomas Michel, the answer is simple: integrity, curiosity, and the courage to communicate uncomfortable information objectively. He has lived by these principles throughout his twenty-year career at the intersection of internal audit, risk management and corporate governance.

His professional journey includes roles at the Big Four and as a Partner at Grant Thornton, where he developed the firm’s Business Risk Services practice in Switzerland. From 2021 to 2025, he was responsible for establishing the Internal Audit and Risk Management function at the World Economic Forum. Since September 2026, he has been bringing this experience to a new global dimension as Head of Risk Management at Hilti AG.

Thomas is also the founder of KeyStone Governance & Compliance and the host of the “Governance Unplugged” podcast. He regularly speaks at national professional conferences, including those of The IIA, ISACA, and the Basel Institute on Governance.

Before embarking on his career in numbers and controls, Thomas played for the Swiss national basketball team and won two Swiss championship titles. This experience of teamwork and strategic thinking continues to shape his professional approach today.

He takes you on a hands-on journey into the world of internal audit – insightful, engaging and guaranteed to be anything but dry.