As a risk management headhunter, on Wednesday, November 17th, I participated in PRMIA’s New York City event titled The Future of Risk Management. Two panels spoke to the audience of 75 participants at Columbia University Business School. The first panel included Michel Crouhy, Head of Research & Development at NATIXIS. He spoke about the future of risk management, techniques and principles. I participated in the 2nd panel. My presentation focused on risk management compensation. As a risk management headhunter for over 15 years, I also addressed the audience with my perspective on training and career management for risk professionals. I urged the mid-level professionals – those with five to ten years of experience – to aggressively manage their careers and demand cross-training opportunities. Many firms are developing specialists in specific areas of risk or niche product classes. Professionals need to take it upon themselves to broaden their experience.
Our risk management clients seek market risk professionals with market savvy, quantitative skills, strategic thinking and communication capabilities. On the credit risk side our clients seeks credit risk professionals with strong quantitative and fundamental credit risk skills, as well as regulatory experience, strategic thinking and communication skills.
One highlight from this meeting occurred on the elevator on the way out. I met two MBA students from The University of Rochester. They drove six hours down to the city for this meeting, and they were headed back to Rochester at seven thirty with another six hour trip ahead of them. That is dedication to risk management.