In this return episode of Risk Is Our Business, Captain Michael Rasmussen welcomes back Graeme Keith for a sequel to Wrath of Math, this time shifting from models to meaning.

They take aim at cookie-cutter risk management, unpacking what separates genuine practice from templated frameworks that look good on paper but fail to influence decisions. The conversation centers on Graeme’s recent writing on risk appetite, and his frustration with how often organizations discuss the risks they’re willing to take without addressing the more fundamental question of why are we taking those risks at all?

From there, they explore how risk appetite is often less about numbers and more about culture, intent, and context, and why effective risk management must always be anchored to the decisions it is meant to support. Without that connection, risk becomes descriptive rather than directional.

They also dive into the realities of interconnected risk, the current state of risk technology, and where the discipline may be heading by 2030, including whether tools are helping organizations make better decisions, or simply producing more sophisticated noise.

If Wrath of Math challenged how we quantify risk, this episode challenges how we make sense of it and whether risk management is truly helping us navigate, or just giving us more charts while we drift.

In this episode of Risk Is Our Business, Captain Michael Rasmussen is joined by Karan Rao, Head of Enterprise Risk at Embark Student Corp., for a conversation that started not in a boardroom but on LinkedIn.

A post from Karan caught Michael’s attention on how the best risk managers aren’t the ones with the most complex models, but the ones who can walk into a room, read the people, interrogate the data, and explain risk so clearly that action becomes unavoidable.

From there, the discussion dives into the human side of risk. They explore why understanding behavior is just as important as understanding data, and why the ability to communicate, write, and present with clarity separates those who inform from those who influence. Risk leaders, they argue, don’t hide behind dashboards, they translate insight into decisions.

They also discuss the importance of developing skills that compound over time: communication, storytelling, emotional intelligence, and business understanding. Karan shares how ideas from Atlas of the Heart shape his approach to risk leadership, helping him connect emotion, clarity, and decision-making in high-stakes environments.

This episode is about moving risk from a reporting function to a leadership discipline, one where the ability to engage the room matters just as much as the data on the screen.

In this episode of Risk Is Our Business, Captain Michael Rasmussen welcomes Anne Louise Higgins, Global Head of Cyber Governance, Risk and Control at BNY Mellon, for a conversation about how the risk profession has evolved and who will be leading it into the future.

Anne reflects on the growing role of women in risk management and cybersecurity, and how diversity of experience and perspective strengthens decision-making at every level of the enterprise. From there, the discussion broadens into how the practice of risk management itself has changed over time, from compliance-driven reporting toward more integrated, business-aligned approaches.

They also explore the cultural differences in how risk is approached in the United States versus Europe, and how those perspectives shape governance, accountability, and engagement with leadership. The conversation then turns to risk technology, what currently stands out in the market, and how emerging capabilities are reshaping the way organizations understand and manage uncertainty.

Michael and Anne also discuss the future of careers in risk, cyber, and GRC, particularly in an era increasingly shaped by AI and rapid technological change. The episode closes with practical insights on how professionals can future-proof their careers and build the skills, adaptability, and strategic mindset needed to stay relevant on the bridge as the risk landscape continues to evolve.