Ethics, AI and Forensic Accounting: Marc Tassé on the Evolution of Risk Management

October 15, 2025

Marc Tassé will be leading a session on risk management and internal auditing at CPA Ontario’s upcoming Small & Medium Practitioner’s Conference, held on October 22 & 23, 2025, both virtually and at the Westin Trillium House in Blue Mountain, Ontario.

The last decade has been rife with uncertainty. From the rapid rise of artificial intelligence, to escalating cybersecurity threats, to shifting geopolitical dynamics, the world has become more complex and, therefore, more prone to risk.

And if there is one thing that Marc Tassé, FCPA, FCA understands, it’s risk. He has spent over forty years blending forensic auditing and fraud prevention into a career dedicated to protecting organizations by helping them recognize the realities of risk.

Early in his career, Marc quickly realized that identifying fraud was only half the battle.

“To detect fraud is one thing. To prevent it - that’s where the real impact happens,” he explains.

This is the philosophy that Marc brings to his university students, teach at universities, helping future business leaders understand the importance of ethics, compliance and being proactive in preventing fraud.

In 2022, Marc was named a Fellow of CPA Ontario.For him, the honour reflects a career focused not on accolades, but on protecting organizations and mentoring future leaders.

“I’ve always focused on prevention and knowledge transfer. Being recognized for that is incredibly rewarding,” he says.

Conduct Beats Tone from the Top

For Marc, effective risk management begins with identification – both its probability and understanding how widespread its impact could be. It’s not just about catching issues – it’s about stopping them before they happen. Key risk indicators, control measures and performance metrics work together to create a culture that prioritizes prevention over reaction by emphasizing ethical behaviour at all levels.

“It’s not just ‘tone at the top’ anymore. It’s conduct from the top. Executives must lead by example to mitigate risks, including reputational risks, which can take years to recover from.”

For instance, modern supply chains can expose an organization to threats like forced labor and human trafficking – issues that extend far beyond product delays or pricing concerns.

Marc reinforces leadership’s role in fostering a culture of ethics from the top down as one way to avoid problems down the road: “It’s not just ‘tone at the top’ anymore. It’s conduct from the top. Executives must lead by example to mitigate risks, including reputational risks, which can take years to recover from after allegations of unethical behavior,” he explains.

Marc reframes the role of whistleblowers as ‘ethics ambassadors.’ Empowering employees to report concerns confidently and without fear of retaliation creates a culture of accountability where it’s harder to fraud to take hold.

AI and Today’s CPA

No innovation has a greater potential impact on the way we work than artificial intelligence. Where auditors once sampled data, AI now allows for full-population analysis, spotting irregularities and red flags faster than ever. But with new power comes new responsibility.

“CPAs handle sensitive client data. AI helps us work smarter, but we must protect information, guard against cyber risks and verify accuracy,” Marc says.

The sheer amount of data collected raises urgent questions: how is it being protected? How is it being preserved? How can its accuracy be trusted in an age where artificial intelligence can fabricate invoices or even manipulate documents with hidden “white on white” text, where, Marc says, “key words are added to a document in white lettering, as opposed to black, so they are not visible to the naked eye but are detectable by AI?”

He reminds us that while technology brings powerful new tools, it also demands vigilance, and CPAs must be ready to confront these risks head-on.

Marc notes that younger professionals often have the edge when it comes to understanding technology, so he encourages cross-generational knowledge-sharing within organizations.

“I always say if you want to learn something about technology, cyberattacks, or cyber risk, don't talk to someone my age, talk to someone in their late teens or early 20s.”

And for new professionals, his advice is to be curious and forward-looking.

“Don’t just analyze the past. Anticipate emerging risks and share that insight with clients. That’s where value lies.”

For small and medium enterprises, where resources can be tight, Marc advises creating advisory committees and seeking diverse perspectives to stay ahead of risk and governance challenges.

“Don’t be afraid of being challenged. Reach out to people and share what you're facing. Other people might provide you with insights and interesting views. Because sometimes, one little thing can make a major difference.”