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Risk in Context Podcast: Optimism amidst a challenging risk environment

Business leaders, policymakers, and others need to address the confluence of risks — including macro-economic perils, digitization risks, threats to climate and sustainability, and people challenges.

This year’s Global Risks Report — prepared by the World Economic Forum with the support of Marsh McLennan and others — has highlighted the likely increase of polycrises as interacting risk events compound each other. Business leaders, policymakers, and others need to address the confluence of risks — including macro-economic perils, digitization risks, threats to climate and sustainability, and people challenges. Remaining resilient requires refocusing strategies to be better equipped to manage today’s risks and be better prepared for tomorrow’s. But despite the multiple and interconnected crises the world is facing, there is room for optimism. 

In this episode of Risk in Context, Carolina Klint, Marsh’s risk management leader for Europe, Richard Smith-Bingham, executive director of Marsh McLennan Advantage, Amy Barnes, head of Marsh’s Climate and Sustainability Strategy, Sam Glick, global leader for health and life sciences at Oliver Wyman, and Ravin Jesuthasan, global leader of Mercer’s Transformation Services, discuss some of the findings of this year’s report and main takeaways from the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos when it comes to climate and sustainability, the transforming healthcare environment, and our changing workplaces.

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Key takeaways

Risk professionals should focus on evolving and emerging realities

Significant concerns persist, requiring risk professionals and other leaders to look beyond economic factors and also focus on the potential consequences of other risks, including struggling societies, fragile physical and digital infrastructure, and overwhelmed healthcare services.

Need to build resilience remains paramount

Faced with multiple interconnecting risks, organizations should reevaluate their resilience strategies, including examining the dependencies of their business’ ecosystem and potential supply chain challenges.

Risk management starts with risk identification

As businesses strive to manage a multitude of risks, they should seek to identify current challenges and those that loom ahead, allowing them to prepare appropriately, prioritize their investments, and respond proactively. 

About our speakers

Carolina Klint

Carolina Klint

Chief Commercial Officer, Marsh McLennan Europe

  • Sweden

Carolina Klint is Marsh McLennan’s Chief Commercial Officer for Europe, where she leads initiatives to define and implement growth strategies that unlock Marsh McLennan’s full potential and support sales enablement, client management, and technology innovation. She is a member of the Marsh McLennan Europe Executive Committee and serves as the company’s spokesperson for the World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report. She joined Marsh in 2017 as CEO of Marsh’s Northwest Europe Region and was then appointed Risk Manager Leader for Europe in October 2020. She speaks frequently about risk and resilience, change management, and the importance of inclusive leadership as a keynote speaker, panelist, and guest lecturer.

Richard Smith Bingham

Richard Smith-Bingham

Executive Director, Marsh McLennan Advantage

Richard Smith-Bingham leads a global team that that helps frame Marsh McLennan’s thinking on big risks and other transformational agenda issues that need to be navigated by companies and governments alike.  An expert on emerging risk anticipation and evolving resilience imperatives, he is a longstanding contributor to, and Advisory Board member of, the World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report, a Steering Group member of the OECD’s High-Level Risk Forum (which focuses on country-level risk governance arrangements), and a commissioner on the UK’s National Preparedness Commission.

Amy Barnes

Amy Barnes

Head of Climate & Sustainability Strategy, Marsh

  • Global

Amy Barnes heads Marsh’s climate and sustainability strategy. Prior to this she held a number of leadership roles with Marsh’s global energy, power, and renewables business. She has a respected depth and breadth of experience assisting some of the largest and most complex companies manage risks. This experience enables her to have a deep understanding of a wide range of clients’ risk management approaches. She joined Marsh as an environmental insurance broker and has 20 years of relevant industry experience with Marsh.

Sam Glick

Sam Glick

Global Leader, Health and Life Sciences, Oliver Wyman

Sam Glick is a partner at Oliver Wyman, where he leads the firm’s Health and Life Sciences business globally. His clients include leading providers, health plans, biotech manufacturers, employers, enablement companies, retailers, and venture capital firms. He works collaboratively with their senior executive teams to create the infrastructure required to serve consumers successfully. Through support for activities ranging from organizational design to strategy development to operating model build and new product launch, he helps his clients create innovative solutions that provide delightful, affordable, high-quality care, coverage, and financing to consumers.

Ravin Jesuthasan

Ravin Jesuthasan

Global Leader, Transformation Services, Mercer

Ravin Jesuthasan is the global leader of Mercer’s Transformation Services business, where he works with some of the world’s largest, most sophisticated organizations on the transformation of work and the workforce. He is a recognized global thought leader, futurist, and bestselling author on the future of work and workforce transformation and has led multiple research efforts on the global workforce, the rise of artificial intelligence, and the transformation of work.

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