General
Speed interview with Sam Wilkin, Director of political risk analytics, Willis Tower Watson
Sam Wilkin, Director of political risk analytics, Willis Tower Watson
Why is participating at a European risk management Forum important to you
Trade conflict and political volatility have made growth in companies’ end markets less predictable. ‘Activist CEOs’ have plunged into the political fray, taking public positions on contentious issues such as climate change, immigration and trade policy. Companies in sectors such as technology and banking have become political targets. Geopolitical risk has rarely been more topical for risk managers.
What does “Aim for the future” means to you?
In a volatile environment, near-term threats tend to occupy management attention. Aiming for the future means finding a way to continue to make progress towards long-term goals, despite short-term volatility.
You will be presenting “Protectionism, nationalism and fragmentation: setting risk appetite in a complex trade environment”, what would you like the audience to remember after your session
It can be summarized in 3 points:
- Even when geopolitical threats originate close to home, operations in emerging markets are most likely to bear the brunt of any resulting political risk losses. For instance, a US-China trade war might lead to economic crises in countries dependent on robust Chinese demand.
- Companies tend to have lower risk tolerances in relation to insurable political risks, so risk managers need to keep track of what elements of geopolitical risk are insurable. Covers are evolving rapidly in response to new risks and demands.
- Experts and media sources we have trusted to provide objective views on geopolitics have become participants in today’s political battles. Hence much geopolitical analysis in the public sphere can be skewed and exaggerate risks.