RMA Provides Education, Tools, and Community for Financial Institutions of All Sizes

Living in this time of uncertainty is stressful. As we face more challenges, RMA will continue to provide financial risk management education, tools, and community for every size financial institution, as it has for more than 100 years.

After skipping a year because of COVID-19, RMA is again partnering with Wharton in 2021 on the Advanced Risk Management program. Hosted at Wharton, this life-changing learning experience will be delivered the weeks of August 22 and Oct 17. It is designed specifically for senior level leaders for whom organizational risk management is a high priority and features subject matter experts from Wharton and the risk industry sharing practical ideas and best practices on risk industry trends. Now more than ever before, organizations are cultivating the potential of their people to achieve greater effectiveness, leadership, and enterprise success. These companies understand the positive implications of making a commitment to supporting valuable learning experiences for their executives. The link between participating in world-class, high-impact education and making vital contributions to the organization is a proven formula for short- and long-term success.

• Week One: Sunday, August 22 – Saturday, August 28, 2021
• Week Two: Sunday, October 17 – Saturday, October 23, 2021

Enroll at www.whartonrma.com. The content is revised each year, so it is always timely and relevant. 

RMA and Wharton are also teaming up on first of its kind, three-part webinar series.

• Model Risk Management - January 21, 2021 | 1:00-2:00 PM ET
  Current risk management practice is based on decades of quantitative theory and practice. But what happens next? Will the use of models continue penetrating expert-based disciplines? Will models and validations expand quickly - requiring more regulation? Will the transition to alternative risk-free rates dramatically change how we manage rate and credit risk? For inside insight, join Wharton’s Dick Herring and risk expert Kevin Oden as they explain the evolution of Model Risk Management - from its introduction in the 1950s, through the impact of personal computing and explosion of applying quant approaches, to 2021 where risk means managing the risk of the firm - not just the trading book. You will also hear their predictions on how key banking areas will be impacted by advances in modeling over the next decade and explore how institutions can ensure effective model risk management (MRM) in the face of any disruption. Plus, explore how automation reduces the burden of compliance. Learn about emerging modeling techniques used in fraud detection. Discuss best practices in validating artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ ML) models. Identify common models impacted by the transition from LIBOR. Understand the expanded role of models in digital banking.
  
  
• Black Swan Events - February 11, 2021 | 1:00-2:00 PM ET                                                      
  In this virtual fireside chat, Wharton's Dick Herring goes deep with Dr. Stephany Head, President of OpRisk Associates, about how to create the foundation for optimal decision-making in a complex world, and why it is critical in an environment full of Black Swan events and Black Turkeys. Gain deeper knowledge of the cyber ecosystem, the role of resiliency during black swan events, and learn how inherent biases influence risk decisions - creating black turkeys. 
  
  
• What I Wish I Knew Before Becoming a Chief Risk Officer - March 11, 2021 | 1:00-2:00 PM ET                                                                                                                                         
  When Spyro Karetsos was an aspiring Chief Risk Officer he thought he knew everything that the job entailed. Afterall, he was a dual-sport athlete in college, earned an MBA, held early-career positions with the Fed, then leadership roles in risk management at Vanguard, Goldman Sachs, Sun Trust and TD Ameritrade. He knew all about strategic planning and execution, communication and collaboration, team building and goal setting, but what didn’t he know that he wished he had? In this compelling story, Spyro describes in detail his journey to becoming a CRO (and CCO), and how his eyes were opened to the magic required “behind the curtain” to put on a great show for all stakeholders. He will also talk about how to partner with business units across the organization on identifying and managing credit, market, and operational risks; keys to positioning the organization to optimize the risk/return relationship within the boundaries of the risk appetite; and the role of the CRO/CCO in shaping the strategic focus of the organization. 

Did you know? RMA offers scholarships to college students planning a career in the banking industry. Since 2016 RMA has awarded nearly $1.5 million in scholarships to 500 deserving undergraduate students. There are funds available. This year’s deadline to apply is March 31, 2021. For more information please visit our website here.

John Sullivan is RMA’s Academic Market Director. Prior to joining RMA, his 30-year career included on-air positions at CNN, founding his own public relations firm, and senior roles at Duke Corporate Education and the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business. He can be reached at jsullivan@rmahq.org.