RiskMasters | Trailblazing Risk Leadership

Hosted by Julien Haye | Strategic Risk Leadership Expert | Author of The Risk Within

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Jun 2026

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Join Julien Haye, Chief Risk Officer and author of The Risk Within, a groundbreaking book on psychological safety and decision-making in risk management, for insights on risk management from leaders and board directors. RiskMasters is the CPD-accredited podcast for risk managers and business leaders navigating strategic risk, enterprise risk and leadership challenges. The show explores how senior executives build strong business foresight and lead with purpose. In collaboration with Risk.net, each episode delivers thought-provoking conversations on leadership, resilience, and governance.

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June 16, 2026Episode 657 min

Chief Compliance Officer role explained. Jennifer Geary and Natalie McManus explore compliance leadership, strategy, and decision-making.

In this RiskMasters episode, Julien Haye speaks with Jennifer Geary and Natalie McManus, co-authors of How to Be a ChiefCompliance Officer.The conversation explains the Chief Compliance Officerrole as a leadership discipline rather than a control function.It explores how compliance leadership shapesdecision-making, supports strategy, and embeds culture across the organisation.Drawing on practical experience, the discussion reframescompliance as a capability that enables sustainable performance, trust, and long-term value.🧠 What Does a Chief Compliance Officer Do?A Chief Compliance Officer ensures that an organisationoperates within regulatory expectations while enabling effective decision-making.The role combines governance, culture, and advisoryinfluence to shape how organisations manage risk, interpret rules, and minimise harm.In practice, this means embedding compliance into strategy,operations, and everyday decisions rather than applying it after the fact.🎯 What You’ll LearnWhy every senior leader operates as a compliance leader inpractice How compliance mindset improves escalation and decisionquality What defines the Chief Compliance Officer role today How compliance leadership creates competitive advantage Why most compliance programmes fail to influence decisions How the IMPACT Wheel connects compliance into a system ⏱️ Episode Highlights00:02 – Introduction and framing of the CCO role00:54 – Compliance as leadership and social purpose05:34 – Misconceptions about the Chief Compliance Officer11:55 – Compliance as competitive advantage in practice26:49 – The IMPACT Wheel explained41:25 – First 90 days as a Chief Compliance Officer46:23 – Future capabilities: data, AI, and human judgement📚 Related ResourcesFrom Approval to Impact: Repositioning Risk Appetite as a Board ToolUnderstand how governance frameworks influence real business outcomesWhat Would Change if Risk Identification Was Treated as a Strategic Advantage?Reframe how organisations surface and act on emerging risksPsychological Safety in Risk ManagementWhy escalation, culture, and speaking up define effective governance🎓 Download your CPD certificate:The CPD Group – Accreditation #

June 8, 20266 min

Risk Culture, Governance and Operational Resilience in Crisis Management

Risk culture plays a central role in operational resilience, particularly in environments shaped by uncertainty and rapid change.In this segment, Bruce McIndoe explains why governance structures in risk management and crisis management often appear robust but struggle under real conditions.He highlights how organisations rely on defined roles, escalation paths, and reporting structures, yet face challenges in speed, integration, and decision-making when ambiguity increases.The discussion explores how culture influences whether early warning signals are surfaced, how oversight shapes behaviour, and how operational resilience depends on the ability to act before information is fully validated.Listeners will gain insight into:How risk culture influences operational resilience and crisis responseWhy governance structures provide confidence but not always effectivenessHow speed and integration become critical under pressureWhy oversight can delay escalation when certainty is prioritisedWhat this means for enterprise risk management and decision-makingEnterprise risk management, crisis management, and governance frameworks often emphasise structure, reporting, and control.Operational resilience depends on how organisations behave when conditions are uncertain.This includes:how early signals are surfacedhow ambiguity is treated in decision-makinghow quickly teams can act across functionsStrengthening these capabilities improves business resilience and response effectiveness.This extract is taken from the full RiskMasters interview with Bruce McIndoe on operational resilience, risk management, and crisis decision-making.

May 30, 20267 min

Operational Resilience, Enterprise Risk Management & Crisis Management: Why Early Signals Fail

Early warning signals in operational risk, enterprise risk management (ERM), and crisis management environments are often present before disruption becomes visible.In this segment, Bruce McIndoe explains why these signals frequently fail to trigger action. He highlights how ambiguity, fragmentation, and competing interpretations prevent organisations from recognising signals as decision-relevant.The discussion provides a practical lens on how risk monitoring and business continuity planning (BCP) can be strengthened by improving signal interpretation and escalation.What You Will LearnListeners will gain insight into:• Why early warning signals are often identified but not acted upon• How enterprise risk management and crisis management processes interpret signals differently• Why ambiguity prevents signals from becoming decision-relevant• How fragmentation across functions delays escalation• What this means for chief risk officers and business resilience leadersWhy This MattersMany organisations invest in risk monitoring, enterprise risk management, and business continuity planning to strengthen resilience.These capabilities depend on more than detection.Operational resilience requires organisations to interpret signals under uncertainty, prioritise action, and respond before disruption escalates.This is a critical capability for leaders responsible for risk management, crisis management, and business resilience.Full EpisodeThis extract is taken from the full RiskMasters interview with Bruce McIndoe on operational resilience, enterprise risk management, and crisis decision-making.

May 23, 20267 min

Operational Resilience vs Risk Reporting: What Leaders Get Wrong

Most organisations believe strong risk reporting indicates strong operational resilience.In this segment, Bruce McIndoe challenges that assumption. Drawing on his experience in enterprise risk management (ERM), crisis management, and business continuity planning (BCP), he explains why reporting and monitoring provide visibility but do not determine whether an organisation can continue to operate under disruption.The discussion explores how operational resilience depends on the ability to interpret emerging signals, connect information across functions, and act before conditions escalate.What You Will LearnListeners will gain insight into:• Why risk reporting and risk monitoring do not reflect operational resilience• How enterprise risk management frameworks can create visibility without readiness• Why early signals in crisis management and BCP environments are often not acted upon• How fragmentation across functions limits business resilience• What this means for chief risk officers and senior leadersWhy This MattersMany organisations continue to strengthen risk management frameworks, monitoring processes, and reporting structures.These improve oversight and support governance.Operational resilience depends on a different capability: the ability to recognise emerging disruption, make decisions under uncertainty, and maintain continuity when conditions change.This distinction is critical for leaders responsible for enterprise risk management, crisis management, and business continuity.Full EpisodeThis extract is taken from the full RiskMasters interview with Bruce McIndoe on operational resilience, enterprise risk management, and crisis decision-making.

May 16, 2026Episode 553 min

Operational Resilience, Risk Management and Crisis Decision-Making with Bruce McIndoe

In this episode of RiskMasters, I speak with Bruce McIndoe, founder of iJET and WorldAware, and a global expert in operational resilience, crisis management, and risk management in complex environments.With decades of experience across intelligence systems, NASA programmes, and Global 2000 advisory, Bruce brings a practical perspective on how operational risk, organisational fragmentation, and leadership decision-making interact under pressure.This conversation focuses on a critical but often misunderstood reality: operational resilience is not a reporting outcome. It is a capability that determines whether organisations can detect early signals, coordinate effectively, and act before disruption escalates into crisis.🎯 What You Will LearnHow operational resilience differs from traditional risk management frameworksWhy operational risk builds through fragmentation, not isolated failures How crisis management fails when coordination breaks down under pressure Why early warning signals are often visible but not acted upon How human judgement remains critical in interpreting ambiguous risk signals Practical ways to strengthen coordination across functions and improve resilience 🕒 Episode Highlights02:30 — Risk reporting vs operational resilienceWhy risk registers and heat maps create governance clarity but fail to indicate whether the organisation can continue to operate under disruption.07:15 — How disruption actually emerges in operational risk environmentsWhy crises do not appear as clear, linear events, but develop through fragmented and ambiguous signals across functions.10:55 — Intelligence fusion and missed early warning signalsHow operational risk signals exist across silos, but are rarely connected early enough to inform decision-making.14:40 — Crisis management and behavioural breakdownsWhy organisations do not follow plans under pressure and instead fall back on coordination, relationships, and decision habits.25:15 — Governance structures and operational resilience limitsHow governance frameworks provide oversight but struggle to operate effectively in fast-moving, uncertain conditions.47:20 — The hardest truth about resilience and risk managementWhy resilience cannot be delegated and depends on real organisational capability, not documentation.💡 Key Insight“Resilience cannot be delegated, and it cannot be faked. It shows up in how organisations coordinate and make decisions when conditions change.”👤 About Bruce McIndoeBruce McIndoe is the founder of iJET, later WorldAware, and a recognised expert in operational resilience, crisis management, and global risk intelligence.He has spent decades helping organisations strengthen their approach to operational risk and crisis management by improving early warning capabilities, cross-functional coordination, and decision-making under pressure.Find Bruce on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mcindoe/📚 Related ResourcesPsychological Safety in Risk Leadership From Approval to Impact: Repositioning Risk Appetite Strategic Risk Identification as a Capability Strategic Uncertainty Governance Risk Capacity and Operational Decision-Making 🎓 Download your CPD certificate:The CPD Group – Accreditation #501195

May 9, 20267 min

Risk Culture, Risk Ownership and Decision-Making Under Pressure

Risk culture, risk ownership, leadership, and risk management become visible through how organisations make decisions under pressure.In this RiskMasters — The Download segment, Leroy Roberts explores how unclear ownership, weak support structures, and slowing decisions create decision drag and increase organisational risk exposure. The discussion focuses on how chief risk officers, boards, and leadership teams can strengthen risk management by improving risk ownership, operational clarity, and leadership support.The conversation also explores why organisations often believe existing governance and escalation processes are sufficient, while underlying control gaps continue to create operational and strategic risk.Listeners will gain insight into:• How risk ownership influences decision-making and control effectiveness• Why decision drag signals weakening risk culture• How leadership support strengthens risk management outcomes• Why delegation without support increases operational and strategic risk• How organisations can strengthen control through clearer accountability and decision cadenceThis extract is taken from the full RiskMasters interview with Leroy Roberts on risk culture, leadership, risk management, operational risk, and governance, available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and at aevitium.com.

May 2, 20265 min

Decision Drag: Risk Culture, Risk Ownership and Decision-Making Signals

Risk culture, risk management, and risk ownership become visible through how decisions are taken in practice.In this RiskMasters — The Download segment, Leroy Roberts explores decision drag as an early signal of weakening control, showing how slowing decisions and unclear risk ownership affect risk management outcomes and leadership effectiveness. For chief risk officers, board directors, and risk leaders, this provides a practical way to observe risk culture and control in real time.The discussion focuses on how decision-making behaviour reflects the strength of governance and highlights why delays, escalation patterns, and ownership clarity are critical indicators of operational risk.Listeners will gain insight into:• How risk culture shapes risk decision-making and control• Why decision drag signals changes in risk ownership and accountability• How leadership behaviour influences escalation and decision clarity• How chief risk officers and boards can observe risk management effectiveness through decision patternsThis segment is extracted from the full RiskMasters interview with Leroy Roberts on risk culture, leadership, risk management, and operational risk, available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and at aevitium.com.

April 25, 20264 min

What Boards and Chief Risk Officers Often Miss About Risk Culture

Risk culture, risk decision-making, and operational risk are deeply connected, yet often managed separately.In this RiskMasters — The Download segment, Leroy Roberts explores how risk culture operates as a control mechanism shaping risk management, leadership decisions, and governance outcomes. For chief risk officers, board directors, and operational risk leaders, the discussion offers a practical lens on how culture influences control effectiveness long before formal incidents emerge.Listeners will gain insight into:How risk culture strengthens risk management and decision-makingWhy behavioural signals can act as early indicators in operational riskHow chief risk officers and board directors can view culture through a control lensWhy governance effectiveness depends on how decisions and escalation work in practiceThis extract is taken from the full RiskMasters interview with Leroy Roberts on risk culture, leadership, operational risk, and risk decision-making, available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and at aevitium.com.

April 18, 2026Episode 444 min

Risk Culture and Decision-Making: Leadership Lessons for Chief Risk Officers and Boards with Leroy Roberts

In this episode of RiskMasters, I speak with Leroy Roberts, founder of Team-Worth Solutions and a leadership and risk advisor specialising in risk culture, conduct risk, and decision-making in high-pressure environments.With more than 19 years of frontline leadership experience across the British Army, the Jamaica Constabulary Force, and board-level advisory roles, Leroy brings a practical perspective on how risk management frameworks, leadership behaviour, and culture interact to shape outcomes.This conversation focuses on a critical but often overlooked reality: risk culture is not a values exercise. It is a control mechanism that directly influences risk decision-making and operational risk outcomes.🎯 What You Will LearnHow risk culture influences decision-making at every level of the organisationWhy operational risk often builds through behavioural drift, not isolated eventsHow chief risk officers and board directors can identify early warning signalsWhy silence and hesitation are indicators of weakening risk controlHow “decision drag” impacts risk management effectiveness and executionPractical ways to strengthen leadership accountability and governance discipline⏱️ Episode Highlights02:30 – Risk decision-making under pressure and leadership accountabilityHow leaders behave when decisions carry consequence, and why accountability often weakens under stress.06:45 – The role of risk culture in operational risk outcomesWhy culture acts as a control mechanism shaping how risks are identified, escalated, and managed.12:10 – Early warning signals in risk management systemsHow behavioural drift, hesitation, and delayed escalation signal weakening control before incidents emerge.21:30 – How boards can improve oversight of risk culture and conduct riskWhat boards should actually look for, moving from narrative to evidence-based oversight.30:15 – Strengthening governance through clear ownership and escalation disciplineWhy clarity of ownership and decision rights is the most direct lever to restore control and execution pace.🧠 Key Insight“Risk culture determines whether issues are surfaced early or allowed to accumulate. It is a control mechanism embedded in how decisions are made.”👤 About Leroy RobertsLeroy Roberts is the founder of Team-Worth Solutions, specialising in risk culture, leadership, and conduct risk.He advises organisations on strengthening risk management, decision-making, and governance frameworks, helping leaders identify and act on early signals before risks escalate into incidents.Find Leroy on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/leroy-roberts-leadershipconsultant/Learn more about the Culture and conduct scorecard mentioned during the episode: https://forms.gle/xf2RmgTsYGP57KJf7Learn more about Leroy’s book The Risk Owner’s Reset: A 90-Day Culture & Conduct Operating System for Executive Leaders Under Scrutiny 📝 Related Resources· Psychological Safety in Risk Leadership: The silent foundation of trust, culture, and challengeExplores how psychological safety directly impacts risk culture, decision-making, and escalation behaviour.· From Approval to Impact: Repositioning Risk Appetite as a Board ToolHow board directors and chief risk officers can align risk appetite with decision-making and governance outcomes.· What Would Change if Risk Identification Was Treated as a Strategic Advantage?Reframing risk management as a forward-looking capability that strengthens leadership and strategic execution.· Strategic Uncertainty Governance: Who Owns Strategic Uncertainty?Clarifies ownership and accountability in risk decision-making under uncertainty.· Risk Capacity: The Hidden Constraint Behind Strategy and GovernanceHow operational risk, capacity, and leadership decisions interact to shape strategic limits. 🎓 Download your CPD certificate:The CPD Group – Accreditation #501145

April 11, 20263 min

Why Governance Fails Without Culture: The Role of Psychological Safety in Risk Management

In this insightful episode of RiskMasters The Download, Julien Haye chats with Jennifer Geary, COO, CRO, and author of The C-Suite Framework, about the critical interplay between governance, culture, and risk management. They explore why organisations with similar governance structures can have vastly different risk outcomes despite having consistent escalation paths, committees, and reporting mechanisms. The conversation highlights the importance of psychological safety as a key enabler for risk escalation and effective decision-making within risk management frameworks.Listeners will learn how behavioural factors shape governance effectiveness, why certain issues remain unraised despite being known, and how risk leadership plays a crucial role in fostering a culture where risks are surfaced early. This episode underscores that successful governance is not just about structure but about creating trust and psychological safety that empowers risk managers and board directors to act in time and with impact.Tune in to understand why organisations that cultivate psychological safety and proactive risk escalation build stronger governance and reduce their exposure to strategic and enterprise risks. This discussion is essential for chief risk officers, risk leaders, and anyone involved in strategic leadership and risk management.What You’ll Hear• Why similar governance structures can produce different outcomes• The role of psychological safety in risk escalation• The moment where issues are not raised despite being known• How behaviour shapes the effectiveness of governance• Why escalation is a critical point of divergenceGovernance effectiveness is often assessed through structure. In practice, outcomes are determined by whether risk is surfaced at the moment it can still influence a decision.Organisations that consistently raise issues early create the conditions for effective governance. Those that do not can maintain strong structures while carrying increasing exposure.This segment is extracted from the full RiskMasters interview with Jennifer Geary, covering executive leadership, governance, psychological safety, and the future of the C-suite, available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and at ⁠⁠aevitium.com.