Aussie bank risk strategies must evolve: EY



As technology advances and the current focus on the financial sector puts stress on institutions to enhance their capabilities, their risk management functions must evolve, according to EY’s ninth annual global bank risk management survey.
The survey found that boards, senior management, chief risk officers and other key executives would need to adapt to a risk environment and risk profile; leverage risk management to enable business transformation; deliver risk management effectively; and manage and recover from disruptions.
Doug Nixon, EY Oceania Financial Services Risk Management leader, said Australian banks were in a different stage in the regulatory cycle compared with their global counterparts, and institutions were facing pressure to enhance their capabilities.
“We believe the best prepared risk functions will be those that understand that the Australian financial sector has entered a new phase, and can clearly establish and execute a strategy for the risk function that is not solely focused on regulatory compliance,” he said.
The survey also showed that risk management had a central role to play in combating cyber attacks and weather-related disasters.
Nixon said the scope of risk functions would continue to grow, and risk managers were also expected to have a stronger voice in conduct and culture matters.
“They are also required to have enhanced oversight of first-line risk activities, oversee significant investment in financial crime and anti-money laundering infrastructure, and support the business in setting quantitative metrics and deploying risk appetite,” he said.
Recommended for you
The new financial year has got off to a strong start in adviser gains, helped by new entrants, after heavy losses sustained in June.
Michael McCorry, chief investment officer at BlackRock Australia, has detailed how investors are reconsidering their 60/40 portfolios as macro uncertainty highlight the benefits of liquid alternatives.
Having reset its market focus to high-net-worth advisers, Praemium’s administration solution has been selected by Bell Potter in a deal that increases the platform's funds under administration by $6 billion.
High transition rates from financial advisers have helped Netwealth’s funds under administration rise by $3.7 billion in the fourth quarter of FY25.