Last month, I had the opportunity to represent RIMS at AGERS 36th Annual Congresso in Madrid. AGERS, Spain’s largest risk management association, brought together risk professionals from across the Spanish community to share ideas, insights, experiences, as well as to promote collaboration across borders. A highlight of this event was a session conducted by a former Secretary General of NATO, discussing current events. The CEO and President of FERMA also held a presentation on their plans for the European community. The discussions there only further confirmed that the highest priority risks are shared globally and that it has never been more important for risk professionals around the world to connect and effectively address them.
RIMS CEO Gary LaBranche attended the Lloyd's Academy for RIMS in London. Joined by 21 RIMS members from the US and Canada, the two-day event also highlighted how, despite our geographic differences, we are one globally connected risk community charged with addressing increasingly complex challenges.
This global risk management alignment reinforces the value of collaboration. Whether it’s across borders or in North America, RIMS is committed to bringing risk professionals together to deliver the educational opportunities, resources, and platform they need to succeed.
RIMS Texas Regional Conference (scheduled for August 10-12 in San Antonio) is a great example. The conference is a product of the passion shared by risk professionals across RIMS four Texas chapters. They understand the power of in-person connections and are the reason this conference continues to thrive. I am particularly looking forward to the conference’s keynote speaker Jerome Mayne who I know will do a fantastic job sharing his rare personal perspective on ethics, risk, and critical decision-making. Registration is open for the Texas Regional. I hope to see you there.
October is closer than you think and RIMS Canada Conference is yet another exceptional opportunity for this community to connect. Year-after-year, RIMS Canada Conference grows, not just in attendance but also in the size and breadth of its exhibition space. Already lined up for the conference are two inspiring keynotes. AI visionary and entrepreneur Lital Marom will kick things off and the event will close with best-selling author and mental health advocate Sophie Gregoire Trudeau. Book your trip to Quebec City today.
For those of you waiting for the next announcement about RIMS ERM Conference – scheduled for November 19-20 in Columbus, Ohio – you’ll be excited to learn that registration will open in July. Connection is the perfect word for this event. Between exploring strategies for managing interconnected risks and connecting with the leaders who have successfully addressed them, this truly is a powerful RIMS experience.
Lastly, RIMS helps this community identify and better understand the connection between regulation and the success of our risk programs and our organizations. In recent weeks, RIMS Public Policy Committee issued a statement urging Congressional leaders to reauthorize the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA) and another applauding North Carolina’s legislature for banning Third-Party Litigation Funding (TPLF). Both TRIA and TPLF are RIMS legislative priorities, and we are encouraged to see meaningful progress on both fronts.
Whether you're connecting with peers across the globe, collaborating at a regional conference, or helping advance our profession through advocacy, every connection strengthens our collective impact. Together, we are building a more informed, more resilient, and more connected global risk community. Stay engaged, continue making connections, and help shape the future of risk management with RIMS.
Sincerely,
Manny Padilla, RIMS-CRMP
RIMS 2026 President