Final answer:
Under SEC independence rules, if Geraldo accepts a CFO position at EFG, a 'cooling-off' period will be required, his previous audit work may need to be reviewed, and the audit firm must reassess its independence to maintain the integrity of the financial reporting process.
Step-by-step explanation:
When Geraldo accepts the CFO position at EFG, his firm's audit client, under the SEC independence rules, certain requirements will have to be met to maintain the integrity of the financial reporting process. First and foremost, the audit firm will have to evaluate its independence with respect to the client. This is because an auditor must remain independent in both fact and appearance when performing audit services.
Specifically, there will likely be a 'cooling-off' period required before the former auditor can take a key position at the client company. During this period, the auditor is not allowed to participate in any audits of the company to ensure independence is not compromised. Additionally, all work Geraldo performed on EFG's audit within the preceding audit period may need to be reviewed or re-performed by another auditor to ensure the integrity of the audit opinion. The firm may also need to assess and possibly modify its team, processes, or client relationship to fully comply with the SEC's rules and maintain public trust in the audit process.