Grant Thornton named Beatrix Bernauer as its chief risk and compliance officer, a new role at the firm.

In the role, she will design and execute the firm’s enterprise-risk management program and practices, including frameworks and methodologies to support effective risk identification, assessment, mitigation and monitoring.

Bernauer, a principal in the firm, has served as Grant Thornton’s chief compliance officer for the past three years — establishing standards, policies and procedures to ensure compliance with laws and regulations, as well as the firm’s own requirements. She has also led the firm’s data-privacy program and sustainability-reporting program. In her new role, she will continue to oversee these important areas and also retain her responsibilities as deputy general counsel at the firm.

“In the face of ever-increasing risks, companies need leaders who can deliver enhanced enterprise-risk models enabled by technology,” says Brad Preber, CEO of Grant Thornton. “Beatrix is the perfect person to do that at our firm: She possesses tremendous subject-matter knowledge, collaborative leadership skills and a deep understanding of Grant Thornton’s business.”

Bernauer has more than 20 years of experience as an attorney advising, defending and supporting accounting firms, 17 of them at Grant Thornton. As deputy general counsel, she defends against litigation and legal threats and advises on a range of legal and transactional issues, including data privacy, security, incident response, M&A transactions and matters related to the firm’s governance.

Bernauer is a licensed attorney in Illinois and registered as in-house counsel in California. She is also CIPP certified by the International Association of Privacy Professionals. She received a Master of Laws degree from Georgetown University, a Juris Doctor from Loyola University Chicago and a bachelor’s degree from San Francisco State University.