Auckland Council’s Cecilia Tse won the risk management professional of the year award while the council’s risk team won the excellence in developing capability in risk management award at RiskNZ’s annual awards in Auckland today.

Ryan McBrearty of Unison Networks won the other award for best emerging risk practitioner of the year.

The risk management professional of the year award to Tse recognised the significant achievement in her risk management role.

RiskNZ Chair Nigel Toms says Tse played a major part in a transformational shift in the council’s risk culture and maturity through her leadership as head of risk.

“Her clear vision and leadership style have enabled her to raise risk culture, capability and maturity at all levels in the organisation. The transformation has been achieved through a range of initiatives introduced over a relatively short period of time.”

Auckland Council’s risk team won the excellence in developing capability in risk management award by taking a bold, innovative approach, shifting risk culture and strengthening risk management practice through the establishment of a new charter.

“With staff-centred design principles, the charter takes a positive approach to the human behavioural elements of risk management and integrates it into everyday business activities.

“As such, the charter provides a platform from which transformational cultural change is taking place,” Toms says.

McBrearty was named the emerging risk practitioner of the year because he proved his worth to his organisation, as a valued member of the team and is fast moving on his way to becoming a risk manager.

“He has gained this confidence by fully restructuring his organisation’s business continuity plans, renewing its complex insurance portfolio, taking control of project managing, developing and implementing a contract management system, framework and policy – all in the last 12 months,” Toms says.

The awards were announced today after RiskNZ’s Practitioner’s Day 2018. RiskNZ is the dominant sector body in New Zealand bringing people, businesses and organisations together to manage risk and ensure New Zealand prospers