The objectives of the Panel include
- Link members through a formal network.
- Exchange ideas and best practice.
- Benchmark best practice through membership surveys.
- Promote the role of risk managers in the eyes of professional employers.
WHY HAVE A RISK PANEL?
- There is a lack of understanding at firms and the wider community about the emergence of Risk as a management discipline in its own right.
- Whilst other forums focus on technical aspects of the ‘craft’, the MPF Risk Panel takes a lead on recognising and representing the contributions of risk professionals to management.
- Although effective risk management is a business imperative, many firms have yet to embed risk in the DNA of the whole firm.
- Many firms do not yet employ designated risk managers and therefore the responsibility for the function falls upon a non-risk professional.
- There are a growing number of risk professionals contributing to the executive committee at firms with no personal background in professional service firm management.
KNOWLEDGE
Structured: The committee consists of leaders of risk worldwide selected on the basis of their contribution to management at their firm. They create a forum for the discussion of risk related topics through regular surveys, education and the sharing of best practice.
All findings are published for free to provide the ammunition for risk managers to make a valued contribution to management at their own firm based on knowledge, distilled wisdom and the collective views of the sector.
Ad hoc: A member sends a question to mpfpulse@pmint.co.uk on a topic causing an immediate and relevant issue. HQ canvasses experts and members, and publishes a summary of contributions.
DETAILS OF OUR NEXT SURVEY
EVENTS
Panel events are open to all MPF and Panel members. Participants can tap into rich case studies and anecdotes - great to supplement dry statistics from surveys when presenting to management. These are intimate peer-group events to discuss issues under the 'Chatham House Rule', governing the confidentiality of the source of information received at a meeting. Much of the benefit comes from people sharing tacit know how on how to use explicit knowledge more widely or effectively in their organisation or externally.
Participants will learn new ideas and approaches, but what they share will be difficult to copy for quick commercial advantage because it will be culture specific - culture being the "deep" differentiator in most excellent knowledge businesses, regardless of sector. So each event will cover not only best practice but also ways participants have found to tackle typical cultural barriers to implementation.
As a membership organisation, all events are member only. However, those interested in joining are welcome to attend one event as our guest in order to 'smell the coffee'.
DETAILS OF OUR NEXT EVENT
COMMITTEE
Panel Director: Jane Ridley - Jane Ridley's career in risk management spans two decades. She has been advising the professions on strategic and operational risk for many of those years. Now working independently Jane sold her risk management consultancy to Alexander Forbes in 2003. With assignments in the UK, Europe and SE Asia Jane is a regular speaker at conferences and events for the professions and is a recognised leader in her field. Jane was appointed as a judge for the MPF risk management award in 2007.
Chair: Ray Brown is a Managing Director of Marsh Inc, the insurance broking arm of Marsh & McLennan Companies involved in its Financial and Professional Services Group (FINPRO) in London. His day to day duties include responsibility for a number of leading Financial Institutions and a number of Law Societies and service firms globally on Professional Indemnity arrangements, together with the placement of reinsurance for Medical Defence organisations. He is also a member of the firms Global Professional Indemnity Practice. Prior to locating to London in 1992 ran the Marsh FINPRO operations in Australia.
Debbie Chrimes is Head of Quality & Risk of Hammonds LLP and is responsible for all aspects of the firmwide quality and risk strategy. She has been at Hammonds LLP since 1996 and worked within the Quality & Risk team since 2002. Over this time the firm's understanding of and attitude towards Quality and Risk Management has grown significantly culminating in the formation in 2007 of its Risk Committee - a sub-committee of the LLP Board, which Debbie chairs.
Clinton Douch (Prime Professions)
Martin Ellis specialises in the arrangement of professional indemnity insurance for solicitors and has done so for over 23 years. He has represented many of the larger international law firms advising them on a wide range of insurance and risk management issues. Martin is the head of the Solicitors Practice Group at Prime Professions.
Julia Graham is the Chief Risk Officer for the international law firm DLA Piper. Previously, head of Group Risk Management at Royal & SunAlliance Julia has over 25 years experience in risk management, insurance and related issues. Julia is the Deputy Chair of Airmic, the Association of Insurance and Risk Managers which represents nearly 1,000 risk managers and insurance buyers (including around 75% of the FTSE 100) and is currently chair of the committee developing BS 31100 the British Standards Institution code of practice for risk management.
Richard Skelley heads up the RBS Professional Practices Group operating out of the bank's Corporate Banking business based in London. Looking after the needs of organisations drawn from the Legal, Accounting and Real Estate Services professions Richard has a wealth of experience in dealing with people businesses, and previously held Senior Management positions within RBS Business Services and Media sector teams for a number of years during his 28 year tenure with the Bank.
Roy Welsby has been with Grant Thornton since 1979 and became a partner in 1989. He splits his time between Grant Thornton UK, where he is the Head of Risk & Technical for the Recovery & Reorganisation practice, and Grant Thornton International, where he is responsible for risk management globally for Specialist Advisory Services. He is a member of the Risk Management Advisory Committee, which advices the Global Leadership Board on risk management issues.
MEMBERSHIP
Two independent referees are required. Panel membership is free for MPF members and clients, and £487.50 /$887.50 /€707.50 plus admission fee for others. Consultants are only eligible for Panel membership in exceptional circumstances. Membership renews on 1 September with a sliding scale in the first year. If interested, please complete the registration form.