Moore Australia, a network of four independent audit, accounting and advisory practices, has named Michael Sutherland as its national head of quality.

The appointment became effective on 1 February.

Sutherland moved into the role from Moore Australia (VIC/TAS), a member company of the national network, where he served as audit operations lead within the audit and assurance practice.

Moore Australia chair David Tomasi said: “Robust quality frameworks sit at the heart of confidence in our profession, and the strength of our quality framework is the foundation of our reputation and licence to operate.

“As regulatory expectations continue to evolve, it is essential that firms invest in strong systems, disciplined governance and capable leadership. I welcome Michael’s appointment, which reinforces our focus on quality and governance as a strategic priority.”

Sutherland has more than a 12 years of experience in audit, quality and governance across both professional services and the public sector.

His background includes positions at a ‘big four’ company as well as at the Victorian Auditor-General’s Office (VAGO).

At VAGO, Sutherland worked closely with senior executives on the development and documentation of systems of quality management and audit quality policy frameworks.

In his new capacity, Sutherland will be responsible for leading Moore Australia’s quality management framework.

The role includes overseeing the continued implementation and refinement of regulatory processes and working with leaders and service line teams across the network to promote consistency, regulatory preparedness and ongoing improvement.

In September last year, Moore Australia appointed Ilonka Spaeth as its national head of technical tax and business advisory.