How To Develop A Strong Risk Culture
How To Develop A Strong Risk Culture
How To Develop A Strong Risk Culture
By Aurle M. Houngbedji, Ph.D. GARP Chapter Meeting Washington DC, December 19, 2011
Biography
Dr. Aurle M. Houngbedji is a Senior Risk Management Officer at the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group in Washington DC. He is responsible for developing new methodologies for modeling Economic Capital (EC) and its applications for strategic business decision making and portfolio risk management. Prior to joining the World Bank Group in January 2005, Dr. Houngbedji was a Quantitative Analyst in the Capital Markets Department at AmTrust Bank. He was responsible for developing mortgage pipeline hedging models; risk based pricing models, delinquency analysis models, valuation models for the banks loans, servicing assets, and other hedging instruments and assets. His research interests include economic capital management, risk strategy, risk culture, credit risk modeling, Monte Carlo simulation methods, Mortgage Backed Securities (MBS) risk management and pricing financial derivatives. Dr. Houngbedji is an industry expert and professional lecturer of risk management. He is an adjunct professor of risk management & quantitative finance, in the McDonough school of business at Georgetown University, and the Johns Hopkins Carey Business School. Dr. Houngbedji holds a Ph.D in Mathematical Finance from the University of Pittsburgh; he is a certified Financial Risk Manager from both the Global Association of Risk Professionals (GARP) and the Professional Risk Managers International Association (PRMIA). Dr. Houngbedji is a Charter Member of Risk Who's Who Society. Dr. Houngbedji is the regional director for the GARP Washington DC Chapter.
Disclaimer
The views expressed in this presentation are mine and only mine and do not reflect in any way those of the IFCs Integrated Risk Management Department.
Agenda
Definition of risk culture
Why a strong risk culture in a financial institution?
A system of values and behaviors present throughout a bank that shape risk decisions
A recent IIF/EY industry survey indicated that 92%*of firms interviewed reported an increase in senior management attention on strengthening the risk culture
* Source: IIF and Ernst & Young: Making strides in financial services risk management, 2011
Example:
During the 2008 global crisis, most of existing risk management frameworks became unreliable, major banks experienced numerous limit breaches in several business lines Few banks were able to properly identify, escalade, address risks promptly, effectively because of their strong risk culture
Accountability, and responsibility for risk Business leaders, operation groups adopt strategies to identify business opportunities and optimize return on capital and create value
Group, independently work with all business lines Establish & recommend risk management policies, infrastructure, & processes Provides the framework and infrastructure to facilitate risk management
internal & external auditors Monitors the effectiveness of operational functions, reliability of financial reporting, compliance with policies & regulations
Risk IT Infrastructure, Portfolio Risk Analytics, Stress Testing & Scenario Analysis
Risk Control
How can Bank control Unexpected Loss?
Risk/Return Optimization
How can Bank optimize Capital Utilization?
ICAAP is a key integrated risk management tool Pillar 2 processes enhance link between banks risk profile, risk management, risk mitigation systems, and its capital BASEL III and ICAAP implementation can help instill a strong risk culture in a financial institution
Conclusion
Risk culture has to be at the top of the agenda for senior management in all banks Financial Institutions need to develop a strong risk culture that is focused on optimizing well calculated and well understood risk return trade-offs within a well defined firm wide risk strategy leading to a consistent value creation for shareholders Develop a strong risk culture is a journey, a long process of consistent communication, education, and management Implementation of EC framework and BASEL III can help instill a strong risk culture Some professional risk organizations and financial services providers can help create a culture of risk awareness within firms, from entry level to board level, making risk everyones business