The panel of distinguished chief risk officers from prominent Canadian financial institutions included Piyush Agrawal from BMO Financial Group, Antoine Avril from Desjardins Group, and Deb Barnes from OMERS. Moderator Tony Peccia engaged the panel about their processes, concerns, and the keys to creating a successful risk culture within an organization. 

Each panelist provided unique insights based on their expertise in banking, pension fund management, and insurance. Their responses drew on examples not only from their current roles, but also from their extensive careers in risk management in Canada and internationally.

The discussion touched on a number of pertinent issues of the day, including the Canadian economy, geopolitical risks and AI. The CROs’ answers stressed the need for risk managers to be contrarian at times, the need to account for the implausible, and the need to communicate effectively and maintain relationships within the organization.