Sear Yagana

Sear Yagana is a Principal in Global Internal Audit & Advisory, responsible for strategizing, leading, and executing assurance, advisory, and risk management activities. He is based in Washington, DC.

Before joining Carlyle, Sear was Head of Global Finance Audit at Capital One. Previously, he was a Managing Director at PwC, advising global financial services clients in the UK, Australia, and the USA, and leading PwC’s Washington Metro Financial Services Internal Audit Practice.

Sear has extensive experience providing assurance and advisory services to global institutions, with a focus on risk management, internal audit transformation, and operational effectiveness. He has led large-scale audits and risk assessments across finance, accounting, valuations, investment lifecycle, compliance, and treasury operations, leveraging data analytics and technology to enhance audit efficiency. His work includes building and leading cross-national teams, advising senior executives and boards, and aligning risk management practices with regulatory expectations. He has also led internal audit functional assessments, process optimization, and strategic risk advisory initiatives.

Sear holds an MA in Finance and Investment from the University of Exeter (UK) and a Certificate in Financial Services – FinTech from the University of Oxford. He is an Associate (ASIP) of the CFA Society of the UK and a Certified Internal Auditor (CIA).