Taking place March 12 and 13 at Park Plaza, Riverbank, London, PrivSec & GRC Connect London provides a platform for organisations to address the cumulative nature of risk.

PrivSec & GRC Connect London’s comprehensive agenda is led by subject matter experts, business chiefs and industry leaders, giving attendees a deep-dive into challenges and solutions on the rapidly evolving GRC landscape.

Event speaker, Jennifer Geary is a COO, CRO, and author of How to be a Chief Operating Officer. She leverages over 25 years of experience in finance, technology, risk and legal, across diverse industries from financial services to not-for-profit.

Jennifer will be at PrivSec & GRC Connect London to discuss how businesses can embrace risk in the right ways, build strategy and enhance performance. Below, she answers questions on her professional journey and introduces the key issues of her PrivSec & GRC Connect London session.

Could you briefly outline your career pathway so far?

I’m an MD, COO and CRO with over 25 years of experience in finance, technology, risk and legal, across diverse industries from financial services to not-for-profit.

I’m also an author, speaker, board advisor and mentor to emerging businesses. I’ve qualified as a chartered accountant, PRINCE 2 practitioner, CISA and CISSP, with recent certifications in Sustainable Finance and ESG Investing and Ethical AI.

What are some of the common challenges that organisations face when it comes to linking risk management to performance and planning strategic objectives?

Too many organisations view risk as a final hurdle to jump through, an obstacle to getting things done. They view risk as a brake on the organisation.

Risk shouldn’t be about that - it should be grounded in strategy, in the mission of the organisation. Every action, new venture, product or service should be designed from the outset with an understanding of the true risks and how to manage them. That way, everyone in the organisation acts as a risk manager, operating with freedom within an agreed framework.

What are some of the tactics employed by organisations to get the balance right, and what are the subsequent potential benefits?

For the organisation - treat your risk team as a trusted partner and involve them from the outset. Share with them what you’re genuinely worried about, the commercial goals you have.

For the risk team - align yourself with the long-term success of the organisation. Your job is not just to point out all the things that could go wrong with a venture - it’s to enable the organisation to succeed, safely and sustainably. Once the rest of the organisation sees you as an enabler (albeit one who tells them hard truths), you will find your role with the rest of the business changing.