The PCAOB (Public Company Accounting Oversight Board) is a nonprofit corporation created by Congress (Sarbanes–Oxley Act) that oversees audits of public companies and SEC-registered brokers/dealers to protect investors. It registers audit firms, sets auditing and related standards, inspects firms’ audit and quality-control work, and investigates/disciplines violations.
PCAOB board members and the chair are appointed by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) after consultation with the Chair of the Federal Reserve Board and the Secretary of the Treasury.
The SEC statement (Jan. 30, 2026) does name appointees; it reports the Commission appointed four new PCAOB members including a new Chair and notes George R. Botic (who had been Acting Chair) will remain a Board member. The statement on the SEC site gives the effective dates — see the SEC link for exact appointment effective dates.
Appointments can affect audits and investors by shaping PCAOB enforcement, inspection focus, standard-setting priorities, and resource allocation; new leadership can shift emphasis (e.g., more focus on audit quality, technology, or cross-border firm inspections), which influences audit firm behavior and investor confidence in financial reporting.
Read the full SEC statement and supporting materials on the SEC website at: https://www.sec.gov/newsroom/speeches-statements/statement-atkins-appointment-new-pcaob-chairman-board-members-013026 (SEC posting includes the full text and metadata).
No — SEC-appointed PCAOB members do not require separate congressional confirmation; the SEC appoints them under the Sarbanes–Oxley framework without Senate confirmation.
Leadership change can lead to policy or priority shifts, but any formal changes (new standards, rules, or major policy shifts) require PCAOB rulemaking and SEC oversight/approval; so priorities may shift in emphasis, but durable policy changes follow standard rulemaking and approval processes.