Western Digital (WDC)

usually determines the membership of these committees at its organizational meeting held immediately after the annual meeting of stockholders. The following table identifies the current members of the committees:

 

 

 

 

Audit Committee.  Our Board of Directors has determined that all members of the Audit Committee are independent as defined under the listing standards of the New York Stock Exchange and applicable rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission and that Mr. DeNero is an “audit committee financial expert” as defined by rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Board of Directors has also determined that Mr. Kimsey’s simultaneous service on three other public company audit committees will not impair his ability to effectively serve on our Audit Committee.

 

The Audit Committee operates pursuant to a written charter that is available on our website under the Governance section at www.westerndigital.com and is also available in print to any stockholder who delivers a written request to our Secretary at our principal executive offices. As described in further detail in the written charter of the Audit Committee, the key responsibilities of the Audit Committee include: (1) sole responsibility for the appointment, compensation, retention and oversight of our independent accountants and, where appropriate, the termination or replacement of the independent accountants; (2) an annual evaluation of the independent accountants’ qualifications, performance and independence, including a review and evaluation of the lead partner; (3) pre-approval of all auditing services and permissible non-auditing services to be performed by the independent accountants; (4) receipt and review of the reports from the independent accountants required annually and prior to the filing of any audit report by the independent accountants; (5) review and discussion with the independent accountants of any difficulties they encounter in the course of their audit work; (6) establishment of policies for the hiring of any current or former employee of the independent accountants; (7) review and discussion with management and the independent accountants of our annual and quarterly financial statements prior to their filing or public distribution; (8) general review and discussion with management of the presentation and information to be disclosed in our earnings press releases; (9) periodic review of the adequacy of our accounting and financial personnel resources; (10) periodic review and discussion of our internal control over financial reporting and review and discussion with our principal internal auditor of the scope and results of our internal audit program; (11) review and discussion of our policies with respect to risk assessment and risk management; (12) preparation of the audit committee report included in our proxy statement; (13) establishment of procedures for the receipt, retention and treatment of complaints regarding accounting, internal accounting controls or auditing matters, and the confidential, anonymous submission of such complaints by company employees; (14) review of material pending legal proceedings involving us and other material contingent liabilities; and (15) review of any other matters relative to the audit of our accounts and preparation of our financial statements that the Audit Committee deems appropriate.