RiskNZ 30 July 2025
The fourth annual New Zealand Risk & Resilience Summit, jointly hosted by RiskNZ and Brightstar, concluded last week in Auckland, drawing together a broad array of speakers and delegates from across New Zealand and Australia. The event underscored the evolving complexity of the nation’s risk environment and the growing urgency for organisations to build resilience in the face of uncertainty.
The Summit featured discussions on a wide spectrum of contemporary challenges – from technological and geopolitical risks to natural hazards, health, cyber threats, reputation, and mental wellbeing. The key message was clear: resilience is no longer optional but essential for organisational sustainability.
Key Insights and Highlights:
Compliance ≠ Resilience: A recurring theme was that compliance alone is insufficient. It represents a baseline measure, not a comprehensive risk strategy. Matthew Meldrum, Senior Sales Engineer at Riskonnect compelling Titanic analogy drove the point home – even the “unsinkable” RMS Titanic sank, despite regulatory compliance.
Governance and Risk Appetite: Boards need robust risk literacy to make informed decisions. Nigel Toms, GM Risk and Assurance of Watercare Services, delivered a standout presentation on how well-articulated risk appetite statements serve as essential guardrails for leadership.
AI: Risk and Opportunity: Artificial intelligence emerged as both a challenge and an enabler. Raj Hit, General Manager Enterprise Risk of Lotto highlighted AI Forum’s core principles – including fairness, transparency, and accountability – as essential to its responsible adoption.
Mental Wellbeing as a Business Risk: Dougal Sutherland, Principal Psychologist of Umbrella called for mental health to be treated as a strategic risk management priority, noting that psychological safety underpins physical safety and workforce performance. He reminded attendees that external stressors – such as family, financial, and personal issues – directly impact employee effectiveness.
Cybercrime: The Hidden Crisis: Wendy Bennet, Director of Outfox, delivered a compelling session warning that cybercrime is on track to become the world’s third-largest economy, valued at over $10 trillion. She described it as a “hidden crisis” that remains under-prioritised due to its low visibility. Her key message: effective defense requires alignment across people, processes, and technology.
Other notable speakers included former government minister Kris Faafoi, Wendy McGuinness, Chief Executive. McGuinness Institute, Steven McCrone, Managing Director. AGLX Asia Pacific among many others, who contributed valuable perspectives to the cross-sector dialogue on risk leadership and national resilience.
As organisations across Australasia grapple with an increasingly fluid risk landscape, the Summit reinforced the critical need for proactive strategies, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and a long-term focus on resilience.
Sponsors for this years included Riskonnect, Toitu Envirocare, Diligent, Protecht and exhibitors LexisNexis, Signal, Complywith and Noggin.
About RiskNZ RiskNZ is the leading body in New Zealand for risk management professionals, providing leadership, resources, and support to advance risk management capability across all sectors.
About Brightstar Brightstar is a leading conference and training provider in New Zealand, connecting professionals through high-quality events and learning experiences.
More about the summit, can be viewed at https://www.risknz.org.nz/conference-25/
Media Contact:
David Turner, CEO RiskNZ, [email protected]