RiskMasters | Trailblazing Risk Leadership

In this insightful segment of RiskMasters, we dive into the critical shift leaders must make when transitioning into the C-suite, focusing on risk leadership and the evolving role of chief risk officers. Jennifer Geary, COO, CRO, and author of The C-Suite Framework, shares expert insights on how traditional technical expertise can become a constraint for effective risk management and strategic leadership at the executive level. Listeners will learn why the move from hands-on problem-solving to orchestrating outcomes is vital for leadership success. The discussion highlights how risk managers and board directors can avoid becoming decision bottlenecks by fostering clarity and alignment, essential components of a robust risk management framework. This episode emphasizes the importance of redefining leadership capabilities to meet the complex demands of enterprise risk and strategic risk, key concerns for risk leaders and chief risk officers aiming to drive organizational performance. Tune in to discover how psychological safety complements risk leadership and helps executives lead with purpose in the C-suite. This segment is extracted from the full RiskMasters interview with Jennifer Geary, covering executive leadership, governance, psychological safety, and the future of the C-suite, available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and at aevitium.com.

In this RiskMasters episode, Jennifer Geary, a seasoned chief risk officer and senior executive leader, delves into the intricacies of C-suite leadership and risk management frameworks. Discover how risk managers and aspiring chief risk officers can navigate leadership transitions with clarity and strategic insight. Jennifer discusses the critical role governance and culture play in shaping enterprise risk outcomes and shares how psychological safety fosters resilient risk leadership. Listeners will gain valuable strategies for applying structured risk management frameworks in complex environments and learn how AI and technology are transforming the expectations of risk leaders and board directors alike. This CPD-accredited discussion is essential for those committed to excelling in strategic risk and leadership roles. Jennifer Geary’s expertise spans diverse sectors including banking, fintech, and SaaS, making her insights invaluable for risk professionals aiming to lead with purpose and impact. Whether you're a risk manager, a board director, or an emerging chief risk officer, this episode offers practical tools to reinvent leadership and strengthen enterprise risk governance.  “Stepping into the C-suite is less about having answers and more about creating clarity.” – Jennifer Geary🔹 Key Themes & TakeawaysC-suite leadership is a shift in perspective, not just responsibilitySuccess depends on moving from expertise to orchestration, alignment, and influence.Clarity is the primary leadership currency at the executive levelHigh-performing leaders create direction and alignment across ambiguity.Frameworks enable structured decision-making under pressureThe C-Suite Framework provides a practical way to prioritise, assess, and act.Governance and culture are interdependentFormal structures only deliver value when supported by trust and psychological safety.Role boundaries are becoming more fluidTechnology and organisational complexity require leaders to operate across functions. 🔹 Discussion HighlightsWhat changes when leaders step into the C-suite for the first timeApplying the C-Suite Framework to a high-growth CRO scenarioBalancing expertise with leadership across specialised teamsAligning governance, culture, and execution in complex organisationsHow AI and technology are reshaping executive expectations 🔹 Who Should ListenC-suite and senior executives navigating complex organisational environmentsRisk, compliance, and governance leaders seeking stronger decision alignmentCOOs, CROs, and transformation leaders stepping into new rolesProfessionals preparing for executive transitions and broader leadership scopeBoard members and advisors focused on performance, resilience, and oversight 🔹 Timestamped Highlights (Optional)⏱️ Episode Highlights00:02 – Career journey and leadership foundations00:12 – Common misconceptions about the C-suite00:25 – Applying the C-Suite Framework in practice00:38 – Culture, governance, and psychological safety00:50 – The future of leadership and AI📌 More about Jennifer GearyJennifer Geary is a multi-time COO and CRO with experience across banking, fintech, SaaS, and the not-for-profit sector. She is the author of five bestselling books on executive leadership and the creator of The C-Suite Framework, supporting leaders transitioning into senior roles.👉 Connect on LinkedIn📝 Related ResourcesBuilding Psychological Safety in Risk ManagementFrom Approval to Impact: Repositioning Risk Appetite as a Board ToolWhat Would Change if Risk Identification Was Treated as a Strategic Advantage?Strategic Uncertainty Governance: Who Owns Strategic Uncertainty?Risk Capacity: The Hidden Constraint Behind Strategy and Governance🎓 Download your CPD certificate: The CPD Group – Accreditation #800161

This episode of RiskMasters dives into fraud risk management with Iremar Brayner, Head of Fraud Prevention at G2A. We uncover how adopting a comprehensive risk management framework enables fraud teams to protect digital platforms effectively while fostering growth and trust. In this bonus episode, we explore the role fraud teams play in enabling growth. Effective fraud prevention is not only about blocking malicious activity. It is about working across product, engineering, and operations to build systems that protect the platform while preserving a strong customer experience. What You’ll HearWhy fraud teams must collaborate closely with product and engineeringThe importance of cross-functional collaboration for effective risk management frameworksHow fraud prevention supports both protection and growthWhy balancing control and customer experience is essentialListen to the Full EpisodeThis segment comes from the full RiskMasters interview with Iremar Brayner, covering fraud prevention, customer friction, automation, and trust at scale. Full interview: ⁠https://www.aevitium.com/post/iremar-brayner-on-riskmasters⁠

This is The Download, a short extract from my recent RiskMasters conversation with Iremar Brayner, focused on risk management in fraud prevention. In this segment, we explore how technology is reshaping fraud detection and prevention for risk leaders and chief risk officers. Automation, data analysis, and AI are enhancing capabilities to detect fraud, while fraudsters simultaneously leverage the same advanced technologies to develop increasingly sophisticated attacks. Fraud prevention is evolving into a high-stakes technological race that requires strategic leadership and continuous adaptation.What You’ll Hear• How automation is transforming fraud detection within risk frameworks• Why technology both strengthens fraud prevention and empowers fraud attempts• The necessity for risk managers to constantly adapt to emerging risks and consider human emotionsListen to the Full EpisodeThis segment is taken from the full RiskMasters interview with Iremar Brayner, which explores identity verification, automation, and the future of fraud prevention strategies in digital marketplaces, offering invaluable insights for chief risk officers and board directors in the enterprise risk landscape.Full interview: ⁠https://www.aevitium.com/post/iremar-brayner-on-riskmasters

This episode of RiskMasters The Download features a compelling extract from Julien Haye's conversation with Iremar Brayner on the evolving challenges in fraud risk prevention. Iremar discusses why user identity is becoming increasingly complex to define within data-rich environments and reframes fraud management as an adaptive journey. He highlights how identity verification now occurs at multiple points across the customer lifecycle, not just at checkout, emphasising a dynamic risk management framework that adjusts to context.Listeners will learn about the shifting verification layers involved in fraud prevention and why adaptive fraud controls are critical for effective risk leadership. This conversation offers valuable insights for chief risk officers, enterprise risk managers, and board directors seeking to enhance their strategic risk approaches and leadership in fraud prevention. Tune into RiskMasters for thought-provoking discussions that connect psychological safety, leadership, and the continuous evolution of risk management strategies in today's complex environment. Listen to the Full EpisodeThis segment comes from the full RiskMasters interview with Iremar Brayner, covering fraud prevention, customer friction, automation, and trust at scale. Full interview: https://www.aevitium.com/post/iremar-brayner-on-riskmasters

In this episode of RiskMasters, Julien Haye dives into advanced risk management and fraud prevention strategies with Iremar Brayner, focusing on high-growth, high-volume digital platforms. Drawing on over 17 years of experience, Iremar explains why fraud strategy cannot be generic, the critical role of identity as a strategic control, and the importance of embedding risk management practices into product functions rather than treating them as policing layers. Listeners will gain insights into balancing security with user experience, navigating the practical trade-offs inherent in enterprise risk, and leveraging adaptive, data-driven frameworks to scale trust effectively. The conversation also highlights risk leadership approaches that integrate collaboration across fraud, product, engineering, and legal teams. Key Themes & TakeawaysFraud is contextual, not universalEffective fraud strategies flex by product design, payment flows, and user behaviour.Identity as a strategic controlIdentity verification shapes trust, conversion, and loss prevention when designed intelligently.Risk as a product capabilityStrong outcomes come from deep collaboration between fraud, product, engineering, and legal.False positives matter as much as fraud lossCustomer friction is a risk in its own right.Scaling trust in marketplacesHigh-volume platforms demand adaptive, data-driven controls rather than static rules. Discussion HighlightsWhy one-size-fits-all fraud frameworks fail in practiceDesigning onboarding that protects the business without driving customers awayThe role of biometrics, 2FA, and analytics in modern fraud defenceManaging fraud risk while supporting growth targetsBuilding and leading multicultural fraud teams at scale Who Should ListenFraud and financial crime leadersRisk, compliance, and trust & safety professionalsProduct and engineering leaders working on onboarding and paymentsExecutives balancing growth, conversion, and loss prevention DisclaimerThe views shared by Iremar Brayner are his own and do not represent those of G2A or any other organisation. 📌 More about Iremar BraynerIremar Brayner is a senior fraud, risk, and payments professional with 17 years of experience leading fraud prevention, KYC, transaction monitoring, chargebacks, and AML across fintech, ride-hailing, retail, banking, and digital marketplaces. He is currently Head of Fraud Prevention at G2A.com, where he focuses on combining data-driven insight, operational excellence, and scalable controls to reduce risk while enabling strong customer experiences, following senior roles at PayPal, DiDi, FARFETCH, MetaMap, Zettle, and will bank. 👉 Connect with Iremar on LinkedIn📝 Related Resources:How to Integrate Fraud Detection and Prevention into Your Enterprise Risk Management FrameworkWhat Would Change if Risk Identification Was Treated as a Strategic Advantage?⁠From Approval to Impact: Repositioning Risk Appetite as a Board Tool⁠⁠Building Psychological Safety in Risk Management⁠ 🎓 Download your CPD certificate: ⁠The CPD Group – Accreditation #501019 

In this CPD-accredited episode of RiskMasters, host Julien Haye is joined by Samantha Regan, Managing Director and formerly Risk Transformation Lead at Accenture. With over 20 years of leadership across financial services, regulatory strategy, and business transformation, Samantha brings a sharp and deeply practical lens to how organisations evolve their risk management and compliance functions.From reimagining control environments to integrating Generative AI and fostering a risk-aware culture, this episode explores how risk can drive performance, not just protect against failure. Samantha shares powerful reflections from both consultancy and industry roles, highlighting the importance of purpose-led leadership, workforce reskilling, and end-to-end transformation planning.You’ll hear actionable ideas for building risk functions that are future-ready, digitally enabled, and culturally grounded as well as insights into the mindset shifts required at board level.“We’re moving away from box-ticking. The opportunity now is to rewire risk and compliance as value drivers, not overheads.” – Samantha ReganIf you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to follow, review, and share RiskMasters. Your support helps us bring more strategic conversations to the risk and transformation community.In this edition of RiskMasters, you will learn:🔹 What Risk Transformation Really Means: Why success isn’t just about frameworks, but clarity of purpose, culture, and outcome-oriented design.🔹 AI in Risk & Compliance: How Generative AI can lift administrative burdens and unlock human capacity with safeguards to preserve integrity.🔹 Culture as a Catalyst: Why the right mindset, trust, and behavioural expectations are the hardest and most essential parts of transformation.🔹 Building the Future-Ready Risk Function: From skills to operating models, how to shift from reactive compliance to agile, insight-driven decision-making.🔹 Risk Leadership & Talent: Why future leaders must become “risk athletes” blending curiosity, critical thinking, and strategic fluency.📌 More about Samantha ReganSamantha Regan is Managing Director and Risk Transformation Lead at Accenture, where she advises global financial services clients on regulatory change, AI adoption, and compliance operating models. A former risk leader at Barclays, Samantha brings a practitioner’s lens to cultural change, leadership, and transformation at scale.👉 Connect with Samantha on LinkedIn📝 Related Resources:What Would Change if Risk Identification Was Treated as a Strategic Advantage?Risk Tolerance Governance: Turning Boundaries into Strategic AdvantageFrom Approval to Impact: Repositioning Risk Appetite as a Board ToolBuilding Psychological Safety in Risk Management🎓 Download your CPD certificate:The CPD Group – Accreditation #800155

In this insightful discussion, Jeff Simmons, a senior advisor and risk governance expert with a rich background as Chief Risk Officer at MUFG, shares his perspectives on the evolution of risk management. He emphasizes the importance of building trust with regulators and discussing how effective governance relies on practical execution. Jeff highlights the need for cultural shifts to align risk with strategy and actionable measures. He also warns of regulatory divergence post-Brexit and offers advice for future risk leaders in navigating uncertainties.

In this CPD-accredited episode of RiskMasters, host Julien Haye is joined by Søren Agergaard Andersen, Chief Risk & Compliance Officer at Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners. With over two decades in banking, pensions, and asset management, Søren shares his insights on risk management leadership and the integration of ESG in long-term infrastructure investments. The conversation dives into the importance of building a robust risk culture and the role of psychological safety in facilitating effective risk leadership.Discover how embedding risk as a business language enhances decision-making and why ESG has shifted from a compliance checkbox to a vital element of strategic risk management. You'll learn actionable strategies for aligning organisational culture with risk frameworks, ensuring that teams feel safe to express concerns and surface challenges. Additionally, Søren discusses the potential of AI and data integrity in navigating evolving risk landscapes while maintaining human oversight in decision-making. Tune in to explore how empowered risk leaders can foster resilience and foresight within their organisations, transforming risk management into a pathway for success.“You can build the best framework in the world, but if the culture isn’t there, it won’t matter.” – Søren Agergaard AndersenIf you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to follow, review, and share RiskMasters. Your support helps bring more forward-thinking conversations to the risk community.In this edition of RiskMasters, you will learn:🔹 Why Risk Must Be a Business Language: How Søren turns risk appetite into a practical tool for executives and boards, embedding it in decision-making, not just policy documents.🔹 ESG as a Strategic Dimension: Why ESG is no longer a “box” in the taxonomy but a lens shaping every investment, from greenwashing risk to stranded assets and policy volatility.🔹 Risk Culture & Psychological Safety: How culture and trust determine whether frameworks succeed, and why risk leaders must become business partners rather than gatekeepers.🔹 AI & Data Integrity in Risk Management: Where Søren sees opportunities for AI in risk reporting, regulation mapping, and scenario planning—while keeping “human judgment in the loop.”🔹 Leadership for Resilient Teams: Why delegation, curiosity, and broad business understanding are the cornerstones of high-performing risk teams.More about Søren Agergaard AndersenSøren is Chief Risk & Compliance Officer at Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, where he oversees risk, compliance, and ESG across global infrastructure investments. A former CRO at Nordea Asset Management, he has built and transformed risk frameworks across financial services and is a frequent speaker on risk leadership, ESG, and the future of compliance.📌 Connect with Søren Agergaard Andersen on LinkedIn🎙 Tune in now to explore how today’s leaders can embed resilience and foresight into every layer of decision-making.Related Articles:Risk Tolerance Governance: Turning Boundaries into Strategic AdvantageFrom Approval to Impact: Repositioning Risk Appetite as a Board ToolBuilding Psychological Safety in Risk Management: A Practical Guide to the Four StagesMastering the Art of Risk Taking: The 7 Core Attributes of Success🎓 Download your CPD certificate:The CPD Group – Accreditation #800139

What does real risk leadership look like when the pressure is on? In this debut episode of The Download — the short-form companion to RiskMasters — host Julien Haye dives deep into risk management and crisis leadership with Brenda Boultwood. Join us as we extract three transformative lessons from her vast experience in banking, energy, and governance. Learn how to build an effective risk management framework that prioritises culture and clarity, shaping resilience long before a crisis hits. From navigating the 2008 financial crisis at Constellation Energy to redefining risk visibility in the C-suite, this episode reveals how strategic risk and governance can be leveraged as key strengths in leadership. 💡 In this episode:Understanding the moral and strategic dimensions of risk leadership in times of crisisBrenda’s “sombrero view” — why risk culture is a vital leadership platform for the futureInsights from Jamie Dimon’s favourite meeting highlighting the essence of lived governanceLessons from Aevitium’s work on how risk management contributes to corporate resilience and fosters conversations in governance 🧭 Reflection prompt:If your organisation faced a near-death experience tomorrow, would risk be viewed as the problem — or the solution to survive? 🎧 Listen to the full episode and more: https://www.aevitium.com/post/brenda-boultwood-on-riskmasters 🎙 On Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/riskmasters/id1709495792?i=1000710473825🎙 On Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/39kvq1RN8Am7NaPLw1Dbox?si=xj_ktMyGSdm8HYa6rLLzIg 🔔 Subscribe now and stay ahead in the world of risk.