BrazilEY Vietnam Partner made Institute of Risk Management ambassador
The UK-based Institute of Risk Management, a leading non-profit representative body for the international enterprise risk management sector, has named Vietnam EY Partner Saman Bandara as its global ambassador for Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.
As EY Vietnam’s Head of Insurance, Forensics and IT Risk & Analytics, Bandara acts as a spokesman for the Big Four firm’s insurance and forensic consulting practice, having been with the Vietnamese arm since 2007. In his new complementary ambassadorial role for the Institute of Risk Management (IRM), the industry leader will extend his expertise to help prospective and fellow risk management professionals in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.
“The Indochina region is undoubtedly one of the most promising regions in the world in terms of the opportunities for businesses; however, in terms of management of risk there is a long journey to go compared to other developed markets,” Bandara said of his appointment, with the IRM noting that it currently only had a small number of members in Southeast Asia – but was “keen to develop relationships in the region.”
Bandara continued; “Development and appreciation of proper risk management could make this region even more promising. IRM, as the premier risk management institution, can take the leading role in raising awareness of risk with relevant stakeholders and support the development of risk management practice in this part of the world. I am delighted to be able to be at the vanguard of this initiative.”
Tasked with promoting the benefits of industry education, Bandara himself is a recent graduate of the IRM’s certification programme, having completed the Risk Management Financial Services Certificate a few years ago to add to a slew of qualifications, including certification in information systems auditing and as a fraud examiner along with being a Fellow of the Chartered Certified Accountants in England and in Sri Lanka.
As well as acting as a members-body and platform for industry research and publications, the IRM offers a range of internationally-recognised training and qualifications courses to help promote integrity and high professional standards in the risk management sector. The institute counts more than 5800 professionals from over 100 different countries among its membership, with over a half currently based outside of London.
Nicola Crawford, Chair of the IRM said; “This is an exciting development for the IRM to be able to reach out to global members who are experts in their field and leverage their expertise in local markets. Southeast Asia as an economy is developing at an exponential rate and has a huge bank of talent coming out of the education system – now is as good a time as any to help develop enterprise risk management to ensure business longevity and success, particularly in the banking and insurance sectors.”
