Chairman Interview: Paul Howard

Why did you choose Manchester?

One of the things we like to try to do is to interact with our members. We’ve had some record turnouts at breakfast seminars and meetings. We’ve extended the way people can attend those meetings. In the special interest groups there’s more dial in facilities. Lots of our breakfast seminars are recorded and then available for download. And then we had the first Airmic TV with Richard Ward this year. I think we’re touching a fair bit of the membership.

We try to alternate the conference around the country. Last year we held the conference in Bournemouth so we thought we should have something a bit more northerly this year. It’s good to keep things moving. We were in Manchester four or five years ago.

Has the role of the risk manager broadened over the last 10 years?

Yes I think so. AIRMIC like any organisation seeks to continually improve, we regularly question our members about the issues they want to hear about. One of the things we try to do is to mould our meetings around those topics that are raised.

We’re in a unique space at the moment, it’s a fascinating time to be looking at risk. It’s the classic risk conundrum. We are operating in an age of uncertainty. In that age there are both threats and uncertainties. What we are trying to do is equip our members with a broad range of skills so they are prepared to take on these challenges.

I got involved in Airmic because it was a great opportunity to talk to my peers and bounce ideas off of them. Now, in the environment we are in, that’s really brought to the fore.

What are you most looking forward to at the conference?

We have a really broad range of topics, I’m sure we will provide something for everyone. I think the best opportunity is by having 600 people together and talking about the things that are happening. Yes, there’ll be great value coming out of the sessions. But it’s the conversations inside and outside of these sessions that provides some of the best opportunities. It’s quite rare to get the community together and if we’re doing it at the present moment in time I think it’s a superb opportunity.

What’s the one thing you want to talk to your risk colleagues about most?

Where we are at the moment there could be all sorts of things happening. It is that heightened uncertainty that’s the big issue. If I look at my own organisation, working in food retail, we are insulated from some of the huge swings in the economy. But undoubtedly a lot of our counterparties are in challenging times. They are our partners in delivering to our customers. The conference is a great opportunity to catch up and find out what the key issues are in their organisations.

How is the new Conservative led coalition government in the UK going to affect the business and risk landscape do you think?

As a UK plc we didn’t need more uncertainty. So a degree of certainty is inevitably going to help, whichever political hue got in. We are in challenging times and I’m sure it will be difficult for whoever takes the reigns.

I think business exists around the overarching economic and political environment. We’ve just come out of several years of Labour government but actually business has done very well. The best companies are those that can adapt as quickly as possible to changing circumstances. They will adapt to whichever circumstances they are faced with. It is those organisations that are flexible and that look to be creative that will thrive whatever the circumstances. My company is interacting with other markets that have their own specific issues. As will our key suppliers and partners. If we’re looking at one of the classic risk management dictums of no surprises, that’s becoming more and more difficult. I think things like scenario planning, over the last couple of years, has become so challenging because in many ways what we’ve seen is that the impossible is possible. That’s where the organisations with the broadest thinking and decision making have been able to adapt the best.

What initiatives are you most proud of with Airmic?

Member engagement would be my main thing. I’m also proud of the engagement and links with other organisations like the CBI and ICSA. Also the continuing discussions and thought leadership events, the annual lecture was a high quality event. That’s one of the things we can provide people with to help them influence outcomes in their organisation and heighten the importance of the risk manager. My theme of influencing outcomes is a natural progression from Julia Graham’s (previous Airmic chairman) theme of promoting the risk manager.

What do you think risk managers can learn from the challenges that Paul Moore, your keynote speaker, encountered?

I think it’s important to learn lessons from wherever you can. Organisations can look at what happens elsewhere and then guard against those things happening in their own organisation. I’m sure there are some things that Paul Moore will say that members will think: ‘Actually elements of that could have happened in any organisation’.

I’ve always looked upon the risk manager’s role as being something like an internal consultant. But it will vary between organisations. You are part of a team and its important that you’ve got the ability to contribute to that team. If we are equipping our risk managers with a variety of tools so they can interact with the key stakeholders then we’re lessening the opportunity for the adverse events to happen.

What’s the biggest challenge facing the profession currently?

At the moment there is such a rich agenda in the risk management field. That’s the exciting thing about the role, its just the sheer variety of challenges that you’re facing.

Finally, who do you think will win the World Cup?

Brazil are always in there. Spain have got to be in with a chance and Germany are always there or there about. England? But then I’m a Layton Orient fan so what would I know.