About Event
Join the RMIA VIC Chapter for the highly anticipated Risk Odyssey event, themed "Leading the Way", where industry leaders and risk professionals come together to explore the future of risk management. This year’s event will tackle the most pressing challenges and opportunities shaping the risk landscape, with insightful discussions on emerging trends, risk education, AI, and business resilience.
Key Topics:
Climate Risk, Emerging Trends, Gaps & Opportunities: Delve into the latest developments in the risk management field in the context of climate risk management.
Risk Education: Discover how risk education is evolving to meet the needs of professionals and organisations, equipping them to navigate complex environments.
AI Risk & Compliance: Explore the necessities to successfully adopt artificial intelligence whilst managing trust in GenAI. Equip yourself with the insights and tools necessary to understand and navigate GenAI risks effectively.
Business Resilience: Learn strategies to uplift your organisation's resilience, prepare for disruptions, and support long term sustainability.
This event will offer a unique opportunity for attendees to network with peers, gain actionable insights, and stay ahead of industry changes. Don't miss this chance to lead the way in risk management!
Guest Speakers
Jen Hookey
Partner, PwC Australia
Jen is the leader of PwC Australia’s Assurance AI offerings and spearheads the firm's AI literacy and upskilling initiatives. In her Assurance role, she oversees the integration of AI across External Audit, Internal Audit, and Risk teams, providing expert guidance on the governance and ethical use of AI within the firm. She also supports numerous clients in navigating AI governance and implementation.
With nearly 25 years of experience in risk, forensics, and digital transformation, Jen is passionate about blending business and risk insights through the use of artificial intelligence, automation, and digital strategies to benefit both her teams and clients.
In her work with digitally enabled risk functions, Jen assists risk teams in modernizing their operations. She helps them implement AI, analytics, automation, and data visualization to derive risk-based, data-driven insights, ultimately designing and executing digitally-enabled risk programs that include continuous monitoring.
David Ma
Director - AI Assurance, PwC Australia
David is a specialist in technology risk governance, bringing over 15 years of experience in managing risks associated with emerging technologies. He has worked with some of PwC’s most prominent clients, guiding them through the adoption of new technologies in a responsible and secure way.
As one of PwC’s global leaders in emerging technology risk, David has played a key role in shaping the firm’s internal strategies, methodologies, and thought leadership on artificial intelligence and cryptocurrencies. His expertise helps clients manage the complexities of these advanced technologies while maintaining solid risk management practices.
Abhi Ganugapati
Director, Adaptus
Abhi is a Director at Adaptus, a sustainability and resilience advisory firm that partners with leaders in business and society to improve ESG performance, navigate the energy transition, and increase resilience to climate change. Recently awarded the RMIA Risk Consultant of the Year, Abhi leads Adaptus' consulting practice in Victoria, bringing extensive experience in strategy, risk management, and sustainability across multinational corporations and government departments.
Abhi's expertise focuses on helping organisations understand and respond to strategic risks, to build resilience and capitalise on opportunities. He has worked closely with senior executives and board members across various industries, providing strategic guidance and implementing robust risk management frameworks.
Recently, Abhi developed a risk-based decision framework to enhance flood resilience for critical state infrastructure. He also led risk assurance services for Victoria's largest tunnelling project, showcasing his expertise in applying risk management principles to complex, high-stakes environments.
With a master's degree in engineering management, a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering, and a graduate certificate in risk management, Abhi combines technical knowledge with strategic insight to deliver value to his clients. His ability to engage effectively with C-suite leaders and translate complex risk concepts into actionable strategies has made him a trusted advisor at the intersection of risk management and sustainability.
Simon Abel
Senior Risk and Compliance Manager, MYOB
With over a decade of experience in the tech industry, Simon specialises in product/operational risk management at an enterprise level, governing a seamless risk framework that integrates effectively across programs, projects, Lines of Business and into the broader business risk landscape. Simon has a proven track record of facilitating risk workshops within agile tech environments, ensuring that risk management processes are both robust and adaptable to the fast-paced nature of the industry. His comprehensive approach to risk management has consistently helped organizations mitigate potential threats while maximizing opportunities for growth and innovation.
Belinda Olejniczak
Group Head of Risk and Resilience, OneFortyOne
Belinda brings over 20 years of both global and local expertise in delivering impactful and innovative solutions in Governance, Enterprise Risk Management, Business Resilience and Process Improvement. She thrives on challenging conventional risk management norms, advocating for a dynamic approach where Risk Management not only aligns with business strategies, but also comprehends the broader economic and competitive landscape. She views risk management as a catalyst for innovation, cultural change, and business improvement.
Throughout her career, she has held senior positions at prominent organisations including OneFortyOne, MYOB, Deakin, University, Slater & Gordon Lawyers, Worley, Shell & Ernst & Young.
Belinda lives and breathes the management and transformation of risk in complex and challenging business environments. She has served as a Director of the Risk Management Institute of Australia and as the Audit Chair of the Wodonga City Council. Currently, she is the Governance Board Director of Endometriosis Australia.
Sharon Wilkes
Senior Manager - Enterprise Risk, Transport Accident Commission (TAC)
Sharon is the Senior Manager, Enterprise Risk at the Transport Accident Commission. With 10+ years’ experience in the corporate financial sector and over 13 years’ dedicated tenure at TAC, including Governance and Finance, Strategy and Innovation and Enterprise Risk, Sharon has extensive knowledge of finance, risk management and governance and compliance practices.
Sharon’s passion for governance and integrity began in public accounting where she honed her skills in specialist taxation and estate planning. Transitioning to a role in state government provided an opportunity to broaden her skills in auditing, compliance and regulatory frameworks. Enjoying an opportunity as a Risk Champion sparked her interest in risk management and Sharon enjoys the broad stakeholder engagement and dynamic environment of the risk landscape.
Sharon holds a Bachelor Degree in Business/Arts (Japanese) from Swinburne University and an Advanced Diploma of Risk Management. Sharon is also a Certified Practising Accountant (CPA) and a Certified Practising Risk Manager (CPRM).
Sharon is an avid golfer, supporting her local club on the Audit & Risk Committee. She also enjoys travelling, reading and flying (small aircraft). She enjoys new opportunities and as a wife and mother, understands the delicate balance between work and family and is a keen supporter and mentor of women looking to advance their professional career whilst understanding the challenges this entails.
Oliver Webb
Senior Risk and Resilience Advisor, Save the Children Australia
As a change agent, he is committed to advancing effective risk management and resilience practices that enhance and preserve organizational value. He advocates for these practices to help organizations achieve strategic goals and recover from crises. His extensive experience spans government, not-for-profit, consulting, and professional services sectors, where he has demonstrated success in leading organizational change and improving risk management maturity.
With expertise across all three lines of defense, he has developed risk and resilience culture in the second line, managed functions in the first line, and provided independent assurance in the third line. His contributions were recognized by the Risk Management Institute of Australasia, where he was a finalist for the 2019 Risk Manager of the Year award.
As a certified Business Continuity Management practitioner, he has led comprehensive capability enhancements in BCM, aligning policies and practices with ISO standards and BCI Good Practice Guidelines. His consulting work includes reviewing BCM frameworks for various organizations and recommending improvements.
RMIA VIC Chapter Committee
Rachelle Tippett
Manager Governance and Risk at VCAT
RMIA Victoria Chapter Committee President
Rachelle is an accomplished risk management specialist with extensive experience in the public sector, currently employed as the Risk and Regulatory Compliance Manager with the Victorian Institute of Teaching. With a deep understanding of risk frameworks and governance, she is dedicated to enhancing organisational resilience and ensuring compliance with regulatory standards. Rachelle successfully leads various risk assessment initiatives that support strategic decision-making. Her collaborative approach fosters effective communication across departments, promoting a culture of transparency and accountability.
In addition to her role at VIT, Rachelle is an independent member on various State and Local Government Audit and Risk Committees. She actively engages in continuous professional development, staying abreast of emerging trends in risk management to drive best practices.
Leah Tran
Head of Risk, Group Technology and International at PEXA
RMIA Victoria Chapter Committee Member
Leah Tran is an innovative and engaging risk and compliance professional leading the Technology and Delivery Risk team, including for International jurisdictions at PEXA. Leah has over 15 years of risk and compliance experience within banking and financial services across both the private and public sectors. She has a passion for risk management and optimisation and believes great risk management offers organisations increased opportunities for high performance and growth.
By day she helps organisations optimise their operational performance and helping to uplift their risk and controls environment, including through innovative tools to automate risk management activities. By night she works on optimising her own performance through various forms of personal development, and calls herself a forever learner.
Jeri Thomas
Head of Enterprise Risk and Resilience at ASIC
RMIA Victoria Chapter Committee Member
Jeri describes himself as a risk professional who believes that sound risk management is an enabler to the business meeting its objectives through stimulating the right behaviours and culture.
As a Certified Practising Risk Manager, and with extensive senior leadership in financial services over 20 years, Jeri has strong hands-on experience in protecting and partnering in various organisations to help them realise and manage risk and risk events in a practical manner. As a specialist in risk engagement and assessment, Jeri provides a strong strategic and stakeholder-oriented view to ensure that the strategic delivery of objectives is achieved. Jeri is involved in the alumni mentoring program at Monash University and the RMIA and sits on the Victorian Chapter committee of the RMIA as a strong supporter of fostering professional relationships and championing the industry.
Joseph Tran
Head of Risk & Compliance at CBUS Property
RMIA Victoria Chapter Committee Member
Joseph is a passionate and pragmatic risk professional with broad experience in technology, property development/investment and financial services businesses. Joseph is a subject matter expert in governance, enterprise risk management and compliance having successfully partnered with diverse organisations over the past 16+ years to transform risk capability and culture, enhance operating models and improve business practices.
Leonora Roccisano-Wilson
Director, Risk Partnering at futurefund
RMIA Victoria Chapter Committee Member
Leonora Roccisano-Wilson is a Director in the Enterprise Risk team at the Future Fund where she supports management of risk across various functions including Technology. Leonora’s practice is also heavily focussed on Operational Resilience. Prior to her time at the Future Fund, Leonora has led global and regional risk management initiatives and functions from Singapore and Hong Kong for large financial institutions. Leonora commenced her career as a commercial litigator with experience in Australia and Singapore.
Amadini Perera
Risk and Assurance Manager, Beyond Blue
RMIA Victoria Chapter Committee Member
Amadini is an experienced governance, risk management and compliance (GRC) professional, focused on finding the sweet spot in risk, governance, opportunities and reward that enables organisations to flourish and continuously improve their GRC profile. Backed by 20 years of experience in risk management, compliance, governance, internal audit and financial analysis, Amadini delivers proactive and dynamic risk and opportunity management through fit-for-purpose frameworks, defined risk appetites and support them with skills development and training.
Amadini proven history of developing, leading and embedding risk management frameworks, implementing system solutions by maturing the control environment through sustainable organisational engagement and cultural change. Prior to undertaking current role to establish risk management function at Beyond Blue and maturing it to sustainable system, Amadini was with Toll Group, Australia and EY Sri Lanka and Maldives. In her spare time Amadini loves taking the opportunity to volunteer with various organisations including Rotary Club, Beyond Blue, Park Victoria and other community groups.
Event Details
Date: Tuesday, 26th November 2024
Venue: PwC, 2 Riverside Quay, Southbank, Level 21 (Tanderrum 1 & 2)
Registration & Cost:
Members: $50
Non-Members: $150
CPD Hours: 6