RiskNZ Team and Board

My transition in to risk management has been a relatively recent occurrence. Triggered by a couple of significant events at Hastings District Council that highlighted the need for more effective identification and management of risk.

In my current role as the Risk & Corporate Services manager for the Council, I’m responsible for leading the Councils enterprise risk management programme, including advising the Council on key areas of risk.

Prior to becoming involved in Local Government, most of my career has been involved in aviation. Starting with operational flight experience overseas, and then in a quality and safety management systems role at Air New Zealand. After Air New Zealand I lead the development programme for an aviation quality and safety management application called AQD. The Product Manager role involved consulting with airlines across the global to develop and improve the system offering.

Now based in sunny Hawkes Bay with my wife and daughter, we enjoy the opportunity to get out on the local walking and cycling trails. And when this isn’t possible in winter, we love to get a way to National Park for some snow time on skis.

Vivian has 20 years’ experience globally in enterprise risk management, regulatory compliance and business roles. She has served in senior risk executive positions in the Americas, Hong Kong, EU, Australia and New Zealand, with Goldman Sachs, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Group AMP and Bank of New Zealand. She is a frequent speaker at conferences on risk strategy and regulatory matters.

She has a Bachelor of Arts from University of Delaware, has held numerous broker-dealer licenses with FINRA in the United States, and is a member of Global Women, FINSIA, Institute of Directors and Women on Boards, Governance NZ. With deep expertise in the analysis, application, and embedment of domestic and extraterritorial regulatory requirements, she specialises in establishing frameworks and leading risk strategies, transformations, remediations and organisational change. She is delighted to be serving on the RiskNZ board.

An experienced risk practitioner, able to work across multiple sectors and layers of stakeholders.  Currently Risk and Assurance Manager at Ravensdown Limited, responsible for the Enterprise Risk System, Internal Audit, and other assurance activities. Reporting directly to the Audit and Risk Committee.

Proven ability performing enterprise, portfolio, programme, and project risk management activities. This includes practical experience raising risk maturity levels and co-facilitating Board top-down risk and appetite workshops.

Prior roles demonstrate a diverse skill set and versatility. Roles cover advisory, audit and assurance for government entities, corporates and across industries (Construction, Agriculture, Education). Each required an emphasis on continuous improvement of processes and performance at entity, governance, and systems levels. These roles have included working for KPMG, Department of Conservation, University of Canterbury, Fonterra and CAANZ.

A CA risk specialist who holds a certificate in company direction with the IOD and other relevant qualifications.

I have recently joined Auckland Council as GM Risk and Assurance, after having successfully
transformed the internal audit function at Fletcher Building to a team that collaborates and partners with the business focusing on key risks. In this role I was tasked with rebuilding and leading the internal audit function across the Fletcher Building Group both in New Zealand, Australia and the South Pacific, during challenging times, while improving employee and business engagement.

Prior to this I was a Director in Risk Assurance at PwC, where I have 12 years’ managing client
relationships and delivering assurance solutions across risk, cyber security, IT, financial, operational, fraud and compliance areas. After many successful years as Director in Auckland, leading and overseeing internal audit programmes, risk engagements, business development and senior level account management with a range of clients, I moved to the Waikato PwC office. Reported to the Waikato Managing Partner with responsibility for establishing and leading the Waikato Risk Assurance team.

I am experienced in developing and delivering governance programmes and projects within fast paced and continually changing environments, including the creation of Fletcher Building’s first group-wide control self-assessment programme.

In my current role at Auckland Council I am responsible for leading risk, internal audit, integrity and insurance teams. I manage the council’s relationship with the Audit and Risk Committee providing oversight at an individual entity level and a Group level.

I am also a Trustee for the Perry Outdoor Education Trust, supporting POET to equip low decile
secondary schools to facilitate the delivery of outdoor education experiences for students.

My Background

My interest in risk stems from my desire to utilise my Engineering (Mechatronics), Commence (finance), and government policy background. With 8 years specialising in risk, working in a consulting role with corporate, local government and central government agencies, I have established a sound understanding of our Risk profession and the various skills required to be a skilled operator in the field.

Work and experience

My current role is a Principal Risk Consultant for a leading insurance broker. This allows me to share my skills and knowledge regarding natural hazard risk, climate change, cyber risk management and strategic risk management to allow clients to navigate through the decision making processes and meet expectation in our modern risk aware world.
In addition to contributing to the risk profession and helping Risk NZ where I can, I also contribute my skill set to the community. I am a board member of a local school, able to advise on financial, risk based and other various decisions. Although I don’t have a child at the school this is a great opportunity to provide a risk lens in the Education sector, as I am passionate about learning.

My commitment to members

I commit to the purpose, objectives and principles set out in the constitution.
I commit to promoting and celebrating innovative risk management practices by RiskNZ members.
I commit to representing insurance and corporate risk managers perspective in Risk NZ.

My passion for risk management began in 2003 when I developed a risk assessment process for the Auckland City Council Closed Landfill Asset Management Plan as part of my work as an environmental consultant. As I aligned the approach to the the former New Zealand/ Australian Risk Management Standard AS/NZS 4360 I discovered the joy of developing and implementing practical risk processes and I have retained my enthusiasm for it to this day.

Soon thereafter I was able to secure a role as the Risk Management Coordinator with North Shore City Council where I completely overhauled the Council-wide enterprise risk management framework and programme in accordance with 4360. In addition, I developed the project risk management guide together with Rob Verkerk from Auckland University as well as organisation wide business continuity plans. I facilitated strategic, operational and project risk workshops, inductions, was involved in pandemic planning and developed/ operated the council-wide intranet pages.

Audit New Zealand commended Council about the uplift in enterprise risk management and business continuity during that time.

I presented two papers during my time at Council on Risk at the 6th Internal Audit Forum 2005. “Are Your Audit Functions Really Risk Based?” and at the 4th Annual Enterprise Wide Risk Management Conference 2006 “Business Continuity Planning in the Face of Emerging Risks”. Both papers were very well received and available as White Papers for several years.

I left my role to start a family but attended conferences and maintained peer connections and keep abreast with changes and developments in the risk space. On my return to the workforce, I have since worked in permanent and contracting roles in Local and Central Government in enterprise, programme and project risk management, regulatory compliance and business continuity.

During that time, I have successfully developed and implemented numerous risk management frameworks as well as business continuity plans. In 2022 I had the great privilege to present a paper at the Risk & Resilience NZ Summit on Project & Programme Risk Management

The organizations I have worked for since my return include Inland Revenue, Regional Facilities Auckland, Public Trust, Vector, Auckland District Health Board, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency and ACC.

My passion is to make risk come to life, uplift risk maturity and literacy across organisations and add real value.

In my experience one of the most effective ways to achieve this is through the development and implementation of fit for purpose enterprise and project risk management frameworks, associated processes, templates and well-run risk education sessions/ workshops.

I strongly believe that effective risk management not only enables organizations to achieve their strategic objectives but also safeguards stakeholders, customers, and employees.

After receiving my Masters of Strategic Studies with Distinction in 2020, I founded Jackson Calder Limited in 2021; a strategy, futures modelling, and geopolitical risk advisory firm based in Wellington that aims to empower NZ businesses to forecast, take geopolitical risks seriously, and give them the tools to design better strategies. I specialise in horizon scanning, generating foresight, trend identification and extrapolation, blind spot analysis, and designing alternative future scenarios for strategic planning.

I sit on the Committee of the NZ Institute of International Affairs Wellington Branch and I enjoy working with my colleagues there to plan diplomatic functions, public speeches and events, and ensure the branch is delivering for our members.

I am working with a large construction firm in Auckland to forecast and manage risks relating to
emerging technology, climate change, and Covid-19, in addition to advising on strategic communication and planning. I am also currently collaborating with another risk consulting firm with a heavy focus on national security, using technology and data to present risks on multiple client-facing geospatial mapping platforms. I have also applied this expertise for the Ministry of Defence, Centre for Strategic Studies, Diplosphere, Asia New Zealand Foundation, and the NZIIA.

I consider myself a multidisciplinary analyst and I strive to constantly have an informed, holistic
understanding of the strategic environment. I believe this is critical for contemporary risk management as the risks New Zealand faces are becoming more complex and interconnected, and I aim to advocate for new approaches and ideas within RiskNZ.

At 25 years old I’m attuned to the struggles of young people who may be disillusioned or uninspired with their career as a result of Covid-19 and other converging factors. Through RiskNZ I want to advocate for them, encourage them, and help them discover pathways in risk management as we cannot navigate emerging, complex risks like foreign interference, sensitive technology, and the rapidly shifting political economy without fresh, nuanced skillsets and ideas.

Finally, I share the feeling of many professionals that Wellington has become somewhat of a sterile business environment that is dominated by the public sector and the Big Four. While it is crucial to work with partners from all agencies and firms to manage risks, I believe RiskNZ can be a platform that welcomes new players and encourages small, ambitious, and agile companies to carve out their own space and have an impact that breaths some life back into the capital.

I have worked in the tertiary sector for over 20 years, most recently in the role of Risk and Insurance Manager at the University of Canterbury (UC) in Christchurch. My current line management responsibilities include risk and insurance.

In addition to managing enterprise-wide risk at UC, I have also been working extensively in the travel risk space to better understand and prepare increasingly mobile and at-risk travelling staff and students for the uncertainties faced by global unrest and a myriad of other issues, including pandemic.

Following the earthquakes of 2010 and 2011 in the Canterbury region, I had operational responsibility for the substantial insurance claims that were ultimately settled in late 2014 for a sum that at that time was the largest insurance claim in the southern hemisphere.

As part of the Emergency Management Planning Group, I was part of a team that implemented an emergency management strategy for the University in 2007. In addition to being a founding member of the planning group, I had a frontline role in emergency response for several years and now act as an advisor to the UC Incident Management Team. In 2021, I was also the strategic lead for business continuity planning to ensure that business recovery is not hampered by poor preparedness.

Risk NZ has played a key role in mentoring me over the last 10 years in my role as Risk and Insurance Manager. I have enjoyed watching the growth of the organization and have been excited by the proactive engagement with risk professionals in the South Island in recent years. I have also had the pleasure of being a judge in the Risk NZ annual awards 2018-2021 and was thrilled to be awarded Risk Professional of the Year in 2016.

In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with her family, walking/jogging, Asana yoga, and being an active
spectator of a myriad of sports.

Kobus Dippenaar offers RiskNZ extensive expertise in governance, risk management, and assurance, with over 20 years of experience spanning public and private sectors. His leadership includes strategic roles on governance and steering committees, and as Chair of a Trust leading membership drives and financial sustainability, making him uniquely qualified to strengthen RiskNZ’s commitment to advancing risk management standards nationwide.

Kobus’s professional experience demonstrates his proficiency in strategic oversight and committee governance, crucial to RiskNZ’s mission. As Assurance Lead, he provided risk and assurance independent advice for a $59 million HRIS and payroll replacement program, affecting over 13,000 employees and volunteers. In this role, Kobus engaged with senior leaders through programme steering committees and governance groups, developing a robust risk and assurance framework to protect organisational assets and manage high-level risks. His success in embedding these assurance processes reflects his ability to enhance governance structures, align them with strategic goals, and provide steady leadership in complex initiatives.

His role as Programme Director at the Department of Internal Affairs demonstrates his capability to guide large-scale transformations while maintaining fiscal responsibility. Kobus led in an Executive Board to drive a government-wide digital transformation that achieved cabinet approval to reduce operational costs by over $100 million. He oversaw business case preparation, Treasury budget reviews, and established governance models to ensure ongoing accountability and alignment with government objectives. This extensive engagement across Treasury, digital agencies, and senior government leaders is evidence of his ability to foster inter-agency collaboration and navigate New Zealand’s regulatory and policy landscape.

Kobus’s governance experience is further reinforced through his volunteer work with ISACA’s Wellington Chapter, where he contributed to building educational programs and professional development for information security professionals. Serving as Chair of the annual Education Day planning committee, Kobus demonstrated his commitment to knowledge-sharing and his skill in driving high-impact initiatives that contribute to professional standards and networking. His approach aligns with RiskNZ’s mission of advancing risk management practices through active engagement with members and stakeholders.

A trusted advisor across New Zealand’s public service, Kobus held key advisory roles with New Zealand Customs, where he led the digital transformation of joint border management systems. Under his direction, the programme stabilised after critical disruptions, including the Kaikoura earthquake, reinforcing his skill in steering organisations through crises with resilient governance and risk frameworks. His contributions in this and other advisory roles have established him as a thought leader in risk and digital transformation, trusted by senior leadership and stakeholders to manage high-value investments effectively.

Kobus also holds qualifications that emphasize his dedication to governance and sustainability. With certifications in Climate Change Governance and Company Direction from the Institute of Directors, he maintains an informed, future-oriented approach to risk and governance. He is currently pursuing a Master’s in Sustainable Business, further strengthening his alignment with RiskNZ’s values and enhancing his ability to integrate sustainable practices into strategic risk management.

His capacity for strategic, cross-functional governance, combined with his commitment to ethical, sustainable risk practices, makes Kobus Dippenaar a strong addition to the RiskNZ Board. His track record in leading committees, fostering stakeholder collaboration, and driving governance excellence will support RiskNZ’s objectives in promoting and evolving best practices for risk management in New Zealand.

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed vulnerabilities and highlighted the interconnected nature of our world. We can expect the future to be characterised by more extreme events.

To succeed in this uncertain environment, we need to elevate risk management as a strategic force within our organisations. That means risk practitioners need to sharpen their skills, be bold, and step forward as leaders. RiskNZ plays a critical role encouraging and enabling this.

I am pleased to be a longstanding member of the RiskNZ community. Over the years I have contributed though various lunchtime and conference presentations. In 2016 I was awarded RiskNZ Emerging Risk Practitioner of the Year.

My background includes commercial aviation risk, data analytics, complex systems. Now my focus is on raising the bar for Enterprise Risk Management and strategic risk transfer. Outside of lockdowns, I travel extensively around the country. I work with corporate organisations, Councils, and central government agencies facilitating workshops, improving risk maturity, and helping shape better decisions.

As a newly elected RiskNZ Board member I will bring a huge breadth and depth of experience. But more importantly,
I’m passionate about connecting at an individual level, and driving partnerships at an organisational level. I’m excited at the prospect of stepping up my contributions to RiskNZ and elevating our community.