The 2023 Banking Turmoil and Liquidity Risk: a Progress Report (BCBS)
The banking turmoil of March-May 2023 was the most significant system-wide banking stress since the Great Financial Crisis in terms of scale and scope. Over the span of 11 days – from 8 to 19 March 2023 – four banks with total assets of about $900 billion were shut down, put into receivership or rescued. Subsequently, a bank with roughly $230 billion of assets was closed on 1 May 2023. The bank failures, while having largely distinct causes, triggered a broader crisis of confidence in the resilience of banks and banking systems across multiple jurisdictions.
Case Study: Building a Multi-Generational Risk Culture at Veritas Financial Services
Veritas Financial Services bridged generational gaps in risk management by integrating workshops, mentorship, and hybrid tools. By aligning Baby Boomer traditions with Gen Z innovation, they boosted engagement, reporting, and compliance. This case highlights the value of inclusive, multigenerational strategies in building a resilient and future-fit risk culture.
Perception is Power: How Risk Owners and Champions can transform Decision-Making and Resource Allocation
The article explores how risk perception, shaped by experience, biases, and culture, influences decision-making and resource allocation for risk owners and champions. It offers strategies to align perceptions, overcome biases, and foster a strong risk culture, ultimately enabling organisations to manage uncertainty more effectively and achieve their strategic objectives.
The role of a leader in shaping employee behaviour in the VUCA/BANI world
The challenges of the turbulent VUCA/BANI world, faced by modern organisations, have led to a different perception of the role of a leadership. An organisation is often able to overcome difficulties owing to a leader who does not only make strategic decisions, but also supports employees. The aim of this article is to identify the role of a leader in shaping employee behaviour in companies in the VUCA/BANI era.
IRMSA Risk Report – South Africa Risks 2016
The second edition of the IRMSA South Africa Risks Report is presented during a volatile period in the country’s development, highlighted by Fitch, Standard & Poor’s and Moody’s all lowering their outlook on South Africa’s credit rating to essentially one notch above junk status in December 2015, the rand trading at its worst-ever levels against the pound and the dollar in nominal terms in the same month, Pravin Gordhan being named the third finance minister in less than a week, and widespread public protests. These and other events are occurring as South Africa grapples with the worst drought to hit the country in decades.
Making Risk Fun: How Mental Models Empower Executives (Yes, Really!)
This blog post explains how risk professionals can use mental models to make quantitative risk analysis engaging for executives. By turning complex probability data into relatable stories and visuals, risk becomes clearer and more strategic. The post features tips for risk teams—like using creative scenarios and gamifying workshops—to bridge the gap between analytical and intuitive decision-making. The goal: help leaders embrace risk information, improve strategic conversations, and use uncertainty as a source of opportunity and innovation, all while building a more risk-aware culture (Kahneman, 2011; Roberts, 2022; Harvard Business School, 2023).
KPMG Internal Audit: Key Risk Areas 2026
KPMG’s 2026 paper highlights an evolving risk landscape where internal audit must become more agile, tech-savvy, and forward-looking. Ten priority areas are flagged: cybersecurity, AI and digital disruption, data governance/privacy, ESG, supply chain, geopolitical and macroeconomic volatility, regulatory change, human capital, business continuity/resilience, and organizational governance/reporting. The report stresses stronger assurance over AI ethics and bias, geopolitical exposure, continuity planning, and regulatory compliance, alongside deeper coverage of soft controls, culture, and talent. KPMG positions co-/outsourced internal audit support and specialist SMEs as levers to strengthen audit quality and coverage.
From Meta-Crisis to Shared Resilience: South Africa’s Opportunity to Build Forward
South Africa’s risks may be interconnected, but so too are its opportunities to respond, renew and build greater national resilience.
The country faces a demanding combination of climate pressure, infrastructure constraints, low growth, municipal capability challenges, institutional governance concerns and exposure to global financial volatility. These pressures are serious. Yet they should not be viewed as separate crises competing for attention, nor as evidence that improvement is beyond reach. They are connected risks that call for connected leadership.
For strategy, risk, resilience and audit professionals, this creates an important opportunity to move from recording individual risks towards strengthening the systems, relationships and capabilities that enable organisations and communities to withstand disruption and continue creating value.
Case Study: Navigating Risk in African Insurance Markets
AfriSure Reinsurance, a leading South African reinsurance company, has been facing significant challenges in recent years due to the evolving risk landscape across the African continent. The company's CEO, Sarah Nkosi, has identified several key risks that are impacting their operations and profitability.
Case Study: PepsiCo’s Climate Resilience and Water Stewardship in South Africa
PepsiCo's South African climate resilience strategy tackles water scarcity head-on. Through innovative partnerships and a three-pronged approach—enhancing efficiency, replenishing watersheds, and boosting community access—the company's efforts have yielded impressive results. This case study showcases how corporate responsibility can drive sustainable change and protect business interests simultaneously.