Article 8 of the Saudi Accounting and Auditing Profession Law

This article sets four prohibitions that protect the certified accountant's independence and the trust of clients and the public in his work:

1. Conflict of interest: he is prohibited from auditing the accounts of companies or establishments in which he has a direct or indirect interest, as the Regulations specify.
2. Maximum number of companies: he is prohibited from exceeding the maximum number of listed joint-stock companies set by the Capital Market Authority, or of unlisted joint-stock companies set by the Authority's board of directors, that he may audit annually.
3. Confidentiality: he is prohibited from disclosing any information about any of his clients that he learned through his professional work, or using it for his own benefit, except with the client's express consent or at the request of the competent official bodies.
4. Time in practice: he is prohibited from auditing the accounts of joint-stock companies, and of banks, public bodies and public institutions, before 5 years have passed from the date he obtained the license.

Note that the article does not state the figures in the second item or the controls on interest in the first, but refers them to the bodies and the Regulations mentioned. The exception to confidentiality is also limited to the client's express consent or a request from the competent official bodies.

These prohibitions come after the positive obligations in Article 7, such as adhering to the rules and ethics of the profession and the adopted standards. Anyone facing a conflict of interest or a request to disclose a client's information is advised to consult a lawyer specializing in commercial and corporate cases.