EXPERIENCE AND FAR-REACHING VISION GUIDE PRMIA'S NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Extensive international background and experience in the risk management and banking fields, as well as fluency in several foreign languages, make seasoned industry expert Steve Lindo an ideal person to fill the vacant position of PRMIA's Executive Director.
Most recently Vice-President of Risk Capital Management at GMAC Financial Services in Minneapolis MN and PRMIA's Minneapolis Regional Director, Mr. Lindo is a graduate of Oxford University, where he received his BA in 1974 and MA a decade later. His other previous employment at Cargill Financial Services Corporation, Bank One, and Lloyds Bank PLC, had taken him to Europe, South America and the United States. He speaks Spanish, Portuguese, French, German, and basic Russian.
With such solid and geographically diverse background in many different facets of the industry, the Board chose Mr. Lindo for the position vacated by PRMIA founding member David R. Koenig last fall, making him the second Executive Director in PRMIA's six-year history.
Starting in July, Mr. Lindo will take the helm of a growing and expanding global organization that now covers the full range of disciplines from credit, market and liquidity risks, to operational, strategic and regulatory ones; an organization which continually adds new members, chapters, activities and events, all the while maintaining a higher standard for risk professionals in over 180 countries.
"I will be acting as general manager of PRMIA's worldwide activities and taking the lead in development of several core services," Mr. Lindo says of his new mandate. "My primary managerial responsibilities will include strategic planning, development of PRMIA's human, intellectual and technological resources, relations with the Board, regional directors, members and partners. My primary responsibilities in developing PRMIA's services will be the growth of individual and corporate memberships, events, conferences, and sponsor relations."
Words of Praise
Mr. Lindo's nomination has been enthusiastically welcomed by his colleagues on PRMIA's Board, who commend his professional experience and far-reaching vision. "We need an executive director who knows the North American market to manage PRMIA's relationships with global CROs and the senior management of institutions, vendors, and consultancies that support PRMIA," says David Millar, PRMIA's Chief Operating Officer. "Steve speaks five languages, has banking experience on three continents, and will be a leader in our relationships with global chapters."
Mark Abbott, Secretary of PRMIA's Executive Committee of the Board of Directors also lauds Mr. Lindo's commitment and goals. "My personal interactions with Steve have been very rewarding, especially at a recent PRMIA CRO Summit," Mr. Abbott says. "He has been formulating plans to help connect with all our volunteer leaders, as well as practitioner members. He has also been thinking about ways to increase PRMIA's ability to advance the risk profession, increase our relevance to risk through targeted activities meant to engage and communicate with more senior practitioners and thought leaders, as well as further develop the paths for career evolution for all members, including networking and other events, certifications, credentialing, training, and other PRMIA educational initiatives. We share similar long-term visions for the expansion of what PRMIA should and could do for the risk profession."
Accomplishments and Goals
Indeed, Mr. Lindo's immediate and long-range plans for PRMIA's future are far-reaching and ambitious within the constantly evolving organization, of which he has been an active member since its inception in 2002. His goal is not only to strengthen and build on the already existing, rock-solid foundations built by his predecessor David R. Koenig, who was recently awarded the prestigious PRMIA Higher Standard Award, but also to branch out into new directions and seize new opportunities.
"PRMIA's staff, Board, regional directors and other volunteers have done an outstanding job in building the foundation for PRMIA's sustained growth, including new products due to be launched in the coming months," he notes. "In addition to overseeing these initiatives, I will be looking for opportunities to add other new products and services to meet the changing needs of PRMIA members and partners."
PRMIA's growth has been considerable in the past months. In May 2008, it has reached 50,000 members, up from nearly 45,000 at this time last year. "That PRMIA achieved this milestone in such a short space of time is a testimony to the relevance of its products and services, such as networking, professional development and research, among others,as well as the enthusiasm of its many volunteers," Mr. Lindo notes.
In addition to individual members, PRMIA's new Corporate Membership Program, designed to help companies implement the best risk management standards and practices, will also benefit the profession by providing an open forum for education and exchange of ideas. Mr. Millar points out that the new Executive Director will "take a particular lead" in further developing PRMIA's corporate membership services.
"Even though many organizations are currently financially pressured, their need for expert risk management at many levels is increasing, not decreasing," Mr. Lindo says. "Therefore, I have high expectations that PRMIA's corporate membership program will gain new adherents during the coming year."
The PRMIA Global Event Series is another PRMIA innovation that Mr. Lindo plans to continue and solidify in years to come. Launched in February 2008 and held on a regular basis in major European, North American and Asian cities, these conferences provide an excellent opportunity for risk professionals to examine specific and relevant risk-related topics.
The February theme, for example, focused on Credit Risk, the one in April explored Enterprise Risk Management, and the September event will discuss Operational Risk and Capital Allocation.
The benefits of the multi-city events are clear, because they provide "a focused examination of current risk issues related to a single key theme," Mr. Lindo says, pointing out that 30 additional events will be held during each month throughout PRMIA's 65-chapter network.
Present and Future Challenges
As with any growing, forward-looking organization with a worldwide reach, PRMIA faces a variety of challenges, such as staying relevant and responsive to the needs of its members who search for greater technical competence and understanding of the global risk phenomena, Mr. Lindo says.
"The challenge is to fulfill these missions simultaneously in today's rapidly-changing economic and market conditions," he points out. "The key to meeting this challenge is to engage and lever the talents of PRMIA's many volunteers and business partners, supported by PRMIA's dedicated and highly competent staff."
Whatever challenges and new developments the future may bring, "I find Steve's deliberate and direct communication, comprehension of today's challenges, as well as positive and pro-active attitude very refreshing," Mr. Abbott notes.
The new Executive Director regards his position as "a great honor. On behalf of PRMIA, I intend to be a champion for the value added by professional risk managers worldwide to business decisions and financial results," Mr. Lindo says. "And I look forward to interacting with a wide community of fellow believers."
