The successor to Auditor General Larry Dennis was announced yesterday.

Director of Internal Audit, Heather Jacobs Matthews, will take over from Mr. Dennis on his retirement this August. Mrs. Jacobs Matthews, CA, CFE, has more than 27 years' experience in the Civil Service.

A Chartered Accountant and Certified Fraud Examiner, she graduated from Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia, in 1976 with a Bachelor of Commerce Degree (with Distinction), majoring in Accounting.

Mrs. Jacobs Matthews then articled with the accounting firm of Gray & Kempe/Price Waterhouse from 1976-1979.

In 1980 she was appointed Assistant Auditor for the Bermuda Government.

She then became Deputy Auditor for nine years, providing senior managerial support to the Government Auditor. Mrs. Jacobs Matthews was appointed Tax Commissioner in 1989 and served as Accountant General from 1994-1999. She then resumed the post of Tax Commissioner until her retirement from the Civil Service in 2007.

Last year, the mother-of-two came out of retirement to take up the new position of Director of Internal Audit on a temporary basis. Her primary role was to help Permanent Secretaries and Department Heads develop processes to improve accountability and transparency in the management of public funds.

Mrs. Jacobs Matthews worked closely with the Auditor General in carrying out this function.

Her appointment as Mr. Dennis' successor was announced yesterday by Governor Sir Richard Gozney.

She was unavailable for comment last night, but Shadow Finance Minister Bob Richards said: "I have every confidence she will do an excellent job."

Mr. Richards said: "The position of Auditor General of Bermuda has become controversial because things are not running right in Government.

"I think she's going to have a challenging job, but she has a great knowledge of the halls of Government and that will stand her in good stead.

"As chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, I look forward to working with her."