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Four promising risk managers tell FERMA what they enjoy most about their work

Cristina Gutiérrez
Risk Manager, Grupoimar
AGERS

I love this profession. It is a very intense function. You have to manage and know the very heart of the company with a deep understanding of its processes. I really love being a risk manager because you can always help to improve something, and you can always learn something new, continuously changing.

You really notice that your work helps the company and those who work in it, and this feeling enriches you personally every single day.

This profession can be stressful, yes, because you never get to have the certainty of knowing that you can make everything 100 per cent perfect, but otherwise it´s an exciting discipline. You need to pay close attention to what happens in your company, in the industry and sector, and with worldwide competitors.

It is a discipline where all profiles can bring value: experts and senior risk managers, thanks to their experience. “Newbies”, among which I include myself, bring a fresh, different vision and we tend to reinforce the treatment of emerging risks.

Per Kühn
Risk and Compliance Manager, Brüel & Kjær Vibro

Working in an area that constantly changes is what I enjoy the most. Also, I enjoy learning about risks from my risk owners and challenging them on their assessments. Finally, as a part of the risk management, I really enjoy aligning expectations and documenting the basis for management decisions. When this is done consistently, I think you can say that you are managing your risk in the business.

Julien Rouaud
Looking for new opportunities
BELRIM

I like the fact that I have worked across a whole company, connecting the dots between finance, safety health and environment, supply chain, IT and HR, for instance. I like that insurance and risk management needs be tailor-made to one company and that it allows you to continuously and positively challenge decisions (what if…).

I love the technicality, almost engineering aspect (some insurance programme structures can be quite complex) of the various processes associated with the diversity of stakeholders you need to deal with: your management, colleagues, brokers, insurers, loss adjusters and all the other risk advisors. It is a people business and each interaction makes me richer.

Kathryn Wallin
Risk Manager, Marriott Hotels International
Airmic, chair of FastTrack

I think it’s the diversity. I love the way that no two days are the same. I can’t say what will happen when I walk into the office, and I enjoy that I am being tested constantly.