Featured Speaker

February 28, 2023 - Discussion with WomenExecs on Boards -   Our discussion will focus on the need for organizations to take risk in order to thrive, let alone survive. Risk, for many, conjures up negative associations that can be harmful to board decision-making. Yet, the process of continuous renewal or continuous innovation is simply another form of risk-taking. How does a positive governance of risk-taking framework allow boards to successfully move past “risk as loss” towards risk as a normal input to business planning? We’ll discuss various approaches and programs from our partner, the DCRO Institute, and their mission to help boards learn to embrace risk. We’ll also look at how to help current and aspiring directors distinguish themselves through this positive approach to risk governance.

February 7, 2023 - Discussion with theBoardroom Africa -   

In challenging and dynamic times, boards and executives are faced with numerous intersecting and amplifying risks. Understanding how the framing of risk as the potential for loss impairs our ability to think strategically is the first step towards a better approach to risk governance. Current and aspiring board members who learn to embrace risk as something necessary and which provides competitive opportunities can distinguish themselves among current board members or in their pursuit of future board roles. Companies that learn to embrace risk can take risk more confidently and gain competitive advantage. This presentation discusses necessary steps to achieve the confidence to embrace risk.

December 7, 2022 - Keynote address to the Risk Beyond 2022 conference in Bali, Indonesia.

November 19, 2022 - A panel discussion among David R. Koenig,  Diana F. Cantor, and Theresa Hamacher, hosted by  Christine A. Schleppegrell and Eric Young.

November 10, 2022 - A presentation to the ACCA CRO Forum on the surprising and complex intersection of risk, risk perceptions, and an organization’s ability to create value (let alone survive).

October 27, 2022 - Led large group interactive discussion on risk for the On Boards Summit in Boston.

September 28, 2022 - a presentation to the members of Extraordinary Women on Boards.

September 14, 2022 - Sagacity Conference (Online and London)

August 16, 2022 -  Being a successful executive or board member allows you to share the knowledge and experience you have gained in a fulfilling and important way through board service. Like all good things, finding the right seat takes work. More importantly, being prepared to be an influential board member, working among a small group of equally if not more successful people, has its own challenges. One of the most important ways to distinguish yourself for a board career and be an effective board member is to understand the positive governance of risk-taking, especially in the environment companies face today. In this session, we’ll examine how the partnership between Women in the Boardroom and the DCRO Risk Governance Institute gives new advantages to you in your pursuit of the ideal board seat.

June 21, 2022 - A panel discussion of sustainability risks and the different facets of E, S and G being integrated into the risk management framework.

June 8, 2022 - A presentation to the Nominee Directors of the International Finance Corporation at the World Bank.

May 10, 2022 - How do you know if the board’s attitude towards risk aligns with the company’s? (And can you help?). A discussion at the Women in the Boardroom Board Assembly.

December 14, 2021: This session is for members of the ACCA, which number over 200,000 globally, and will focus on how recent events and experiences are shaping the prioritization and governance of risk at the board level.

December 10, 2021: My keynote address will focus on why businesses exist in relation to risk and the governance of risk-taking.

December 7, 2021: This session is for directors nominees to companies in which the IFC has invested. We explore what matters most to board members in the governance of risk-taking in pursuit of corporate goals and purpose. Included is a review of how important forward-looking assessments of risk are to that work, the role of board risk committees, non-financial and intangibles risk, external expectations, and what boards can do to improve the assessments being made.

November 17, 2021:  We explore what matters most to capital providers as they consider a nonprofit, private, or public organization & how important forward-looking assessments of risk are to that equation. 

October 11, 2021: Risk Awareness Week 2021. The subject is "Risk as a Scarce  Resource - Boards and the Attraction of Risk Capital." How we view those who provide us with capital to pursue our goals is an underappreciated aspect of good governance. 

September 23, 2021: An online discussion hosted by the Women in the Boardroom community. 

September 21, 2021:  A panel discussion of the EU’s highly anticipated Corporate Due Diligence and Corporate Accountability directive around downstream misuse of products or services and how board members and front-line professionals address the issue.

August 12, 2021: A private event for iDirectores members in Latin America focused on the advancement of risk-taking and risk governance by boards.

June 16, 2021:: Alexander Lowry and I discuss the advancement of boards' governance of risk-taking and how individual directors can improve their understanding of this key skill as they develop and execute their strategic plans.

April 14, 2021: Online/Jakarta addressing the history of the Chief Risk Officer and the evolution into today's critical role.

February 16, 2021:  Rachael Johnson, ACCA's Head of Risk Management and Corporate Governance, and I discuss board risk governance best practices and how the pandemic has altered the landscape.