Does audit committee financial expertise actually improves information readability?

This paper investigates the relationship between audit committee financial expertise, particularly considering specific accounting financial expertise, and the readability of management reports. Additionally, this study also examines whether the effect of financial experts is moderated by the intensity of the audit committee's activity. The dataset for directors' characteristics is hand-collected as are the management reports. The sample is composed of Spanish listed firms for the period 2013-2015. The results show a negative association between financial expertise, especially accounting financial expertise, and the readability of management reports. In addition, this association is accentuated with higher number of audit committees' meetings. This evidence stimulates the debate on the advantages of having members with financial expertise in the audit committee. Otherwise, the use of contextual approaches in further studies regarding the role of directors is recommended. In addition, this could help regulators and professionals to guide their requirements and recommendations about directors' qualifications. (C) 2022 ASEPUC. Published by EDITUM - Universidad de Murcia.