Risky Women Radio

In this special Book Club episode of Risky Women Radio, host Kimberley Cole welcomes the podcast's third "Risky Man"—global RegTech leader, author, and AI strategist Robin Lee. Spanning an extraordinary career that bridges Silicon Valley software engineering, Wall Street hedge funds, and Southeast Asian compliance, Robin unpacks the core thesis behind his latest book, The Full Stack AI Ethicist (co-authored with Adam Khan). Robin makes a compelling case for why ethics must precede traditional governance, risk, and compliance (GRC). Rather than treating AI governance as a solo technical assignment, forward-thinking institutions must establish multi-disciplinary committees that balance innovation with moral accountability. All proceeds from The Full Stack AI Ethicist are donated to Global Alms, an NGO dedicated to rescuing victims from Southeast Asian scam centres. Show Notes 01:55 – From Silicon Valley to Wall Street : Robin's journey across software engineering, hedge fund analytics, and financial crime compliance. 09:25 – The Startup Hustle & RegTech Rise : Building compliance startups, joining Thomson Reuters, and navigating APAC expansion. 15:59 – Why Write 'The Full Stack AI Ethicist'? Bridging the gap between Silicon Valley ethicists and financial services. 17:58 – Defining the Role : Why an AI ethicist solves global regulatory fragmentation better than a pure compliance checklist. 24:51 – The C-Suite AI Misconception : Why AI governance cannot be managed by a single individual. 27:20 – Adversarial AI Threats : The dangers of open-source models supercharging financial scams and deepfakes.

What happens when an accidental Twitter viral star turns a boredom-fueled lockdown crusade against fake hunky soldiers into a bestselling book and a front-row seat at global anti-scam summits? In this special Book Club edition of Risky Women Radio, host Kimberley Cole sits down with author, speaker, and internet fraud-fighter Becky Holmes (known online as @DeathtoSpinach). Becky shares her journey from corporate PR to baiting romance scammers with absurd tales of ketchup murders and trips to the moon. She breaks down why blaming victims is both lazy and cruel, why relying solely on AI technology won't solve emotionally groomed crimes, and why 50% of romance fraud victims are actually men—despite the persistent social stereotypes. Shownotes 01:53 – Accidental Fraud Fighter : How Lockdown Boredom and "Hunky Soldiers" Started It All 05:11 – Breaking the Mould : Staying Authentic with Pink Hair and Tattoos in Fincrime 10:00 – "He's in Nigeria, Not the Army" : The Devastating Lived Reality of Romance Fraud 18:24 – Debunking the Myth : Why Victims Aren't "Stupid" and 50% Are Actually Men 23:03 – The Ketchup Murder & General Mark Milley : Baiting Scammers at Their Own Game 25:05 – Tech vs. Grooming : Why Algorithms Alone Can't Stop Romance Scams

Ever wondered what professional horse riding and Lehman Brothers' post-collapse cleanup have in common? Quite a bit, as it turns out. In this episode of Risky Women Radio, host Kimberley Cole sits down with operational risk powerhouse Suzanne Allen to explore how a background in championship show-jumping laid the ultimate foundation for proactive risk management, resilience, and spot-on time management. Suzanne shares her journey from competing at Hickstead to rebuilding control frameworks in global markets and fintechs. She pulls back the curtain on why counting risk assessments is just "measuring effort" rather than outcome, why the traditional three-lines-of-defense model might soon be extinct, and why women are uniquely equipped to handle the human, ethical side of AI governance. SHOWNOTES 01:24 From Hickstead Show Rings to Lehman Brothers: Suzanne's Unconventional Path 06:10 Peak Performance: Applying Elite Equestrian Discipline to Risk Preparedness 10:39 AI Governance as a Human Challenge: Why Women's Voices are Essential 13:42 From Controls to Outcomes: Why Counting Risk Assessments Misses the Point 20:50 AI Misconceptions: Why It's a Business Governance Issue, Not Just Tech 25:52 The Death of the Three Lines Model: What Risk Looks Like in 10 Years

Today we're tackling a topic that sits at the uncomfortable intersection of finance and human suffering: human trafficking. Every year, forced labour generates hundreds of billions of dollars in illegal profits and much of that money passes through the very systems our industry is built to protect. Which means the people sitting in compliance, fraud and financial crime teams aren't just guarding against loss. In cases like this, they're often the first line standing between a trafficking network and the people it exploits. In this episode, 'Tracing Trafficking Through the Financial System,' Kimberley Cole is joined by two guests who see this problem from very different vantage points. Archana Kotecha has spent years working directly with trafficking survivors across South East Asia, and now trains financial institutions on what trafficking actually looks like on the ground. And Anurag Mohapatra of NICE Actimize brings the strategic, industry-wide view on how detection technology and typologies are evolving to keep pace. Together, we'll talk about what red flags really mean, why major global events like the 2026 World Cup raise the stakes, and what it actually takes to turn a suspicious activity report into a rescue. During our discussion we'll refence some of the findings in the Nice Actimize: The NICE Actimize Human Trafficking Investigative and Response Guide: World Cup 2026 https://resources.niceactimize.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Human-Trafficking-Investigative-and-Response-Guide-World-Cup-2026-Final.pdf

In a 21st-century knowledge economy where tech valuations eclipse physical industrial giants, traditional accounting frameworks like IAS 38 are struggling to reflect what actually drives modern corporate value. In this episode of Risky Women Radio, host Kimberley Cole sits down with strategic advisor, researcher, and governance expert Katrin Gülden Le Maire . Bringing a rare interdisciplinary lens spanning finance, tech, ESG, and philosophy, Katrin unpacks why intangible assets—from human relationships and talent to organisational trust—require a radical rethink in governance. Together, they explore why relying purely on quantitative algorithms misses the mark, how AI is reshaping human connective labour, and why courageous business leaders must take charge of defining social capital before regulators do it for them. Shownotes 02:03 – From Inner-City Outreach to Private Jets: Katrin's Multidisciplinary Journey 05:51 – Principles vs. Preferences: Turning Down Corporate Mandates for Values 11:40 – Systems Thinking: Applying Cybernetics to Interconnected Business Networks 15:47 – The Knowledge Economy & The Outdated Limits of IAS 38 Accounting 23:06 – Defining Social Capital: Balancing Economic & Sociological Perspectives 27:44 – Why Business Leaders —Not Regulators—Must Drive the Social Capital Debate 38:00 – Practical Exercise: A Two-Page Challenge for Boards and Executive Leaders

Welcome back to Risky Women Radio , near the midpoint of 2026 . If you've spent the last few months celebrating whispered promises of regulatory "simplification" and a "lighter supervisory touch," we hate to ruin the party—but you're likely basking in false comfort . In this fourth annual check-in, host Kimberley Cole reunites with Protiviti's compliance vanguards, Carol Beaumier and Bernadine Reese , to deliver a healthy dose of reality to the mid-year compliance calendar . As it turns out, tech fragmentation, AI implementations, and financial crime networks don't magically slow down just because a regulator changes their tone . Our guests pull back the curtain on why treating a drop in regulatory intensity as an invite to slash budgets is a massive trap , why your traditional siloed compliance stack is buckling under the weight of interconnected risks , and why the ultimate compliance hazard of 2026 might just be demanding high-quality executive judgment from a thoroughly exhausted, under-resourced team . Shownotes 02:18 – The Illusion of the Lighter Touch and Risk Recalibration 06:03 – The Connected Compliance Stack: Why Silos Fail in 2026 10:11 – The Accountability Reset: Surviving the Next Regulatory U-Turn 11:58 – The Big Five: From Production-Line AI to Talent Fatigue 19:56 – Five Practical Actions for the H2 2026 Planning Reset

Welcome to another Book Club edition! In this episode, host Kimberley Cole sits down with Penny Cagan , industry veteran, academic at Columbia and NYU, and author of Managing Operational Risk in a Changing World . From navigating the "heady days" of Basel II in the immediate aftermath of Nick Leeson's Barings debacle to building the world's first operational risk database, Penny has spent her career gently exploding conventional thinking . She joins us to discuss why change initiatives fail when you only convince the C-suite, why the second line of defence needs to stop acting like an armchair referee, and how treating AI agents like messy human employees is the key to modern governance . Shownotes 02:06 – The Nick Leeson Effect & Defining Operational Risk 04:14 – The RCSA Overhaul: A Painful Lesson in Bottom-Up Trust 08:10 – The Quantitative Love Affair vs. Old-Fashioned Management 11:04 – Peddling FIRST: Building the Industry's First Risk Database 17:48 – The Changing World: Reshaping the Operating Model 29:09 – Agentic AI: Why Robots Need an Employee Handbook

Welcome to another Risky Women Radio Book Club Edition. In an era dominated by rapid AI disruption, intensifying social scrutiny, and relentless geopolitical shifts, compliance can no longer be treated as a mere back-office box-checking exercise. In this episode, host Kimberley Cole sits down with Natalie McManus-Barnett, co-author of How to Be a Chief Compliance Officer and founder of Innovate Compliance. Shifting the narrative away from dry, bureaucratic policy-pushing, Natalie brings a refreshing dose of "polite disruption" to the table. She shares her "Jungle Gym" journey from the Financial Conduct Authority to Citibank, introducing a masterclass on how to weave compliance directly into the DNA of corporate strategy, execution, and culture to turn risk management into a genuine competitive advantage.

Welcome to Risky Women Radio, the podcast that spotlights the bold, brilliant women leading change across risk, compliance, and governance. In an era where "uncertainty" has been upgraded from a buzzword to a permanent state of being, we sit down with the leaders who navigate the chaos so the rest of us can sleep at night. In this episode, Zhiyun Nai, Managing Director at Protiviti, is joined by Jean Chung, Chief Compliance Officer for Hong Kong, Greater China, and North Asia at Standard Chartered Bank. Jean is a veteran of the compliance world who has spent over two decades bridging the gap between policy and purpose. From setting international standards in Singapore to advising the Korea FIU on crypto assets, Jean has seen it all. She joins us to discuss the "80/20 rule" of global regulation, why AI might actually make her team's lives better (rather than just replacing them), and how the definition of leadership has evolved from "don't be too soft" to "empathy is your superpower". SHOWNOTES 2:19 – The Global Commonality Myth 5:48 – AI as the Ultimate Intern 13:08 – Innovation vs. The Deepfake Arms Race 23:31 – The Evolution of "Soft" Leadership 26:15 – Taking the Leap of Faith

Meet Laura Ferrara, Amplifon's Global Chief Internal Audit & Risk Management Officer — part risk detective, part people‑connector, and full‑time hearing‑care champion. With a career that moved from PwC to telecoms, energy and rail before landing in hearing health, Laura turns dashboards into conversations, spreadsheets into strategy, and risk into opportunity. Tune in for practical tips on integrated risk, agile governance, and why a good risk manager is a superbly organised translator (and occasional diplomat) for the boardroom. SHOW NOTES 01:06 Laura's Career Journey: From PwC to Amplifon 02:38 Amplifon Overview: Hearing Care at Scale 07:32 Integrated Risk Management: Process and Practice 09:15 Embedding Engagement: Bottom‑Up Risk Assessments 12:03 Future Risks and Advice for Aspiring Risk Professionals Transcript and more GRC content: https://www.riskywomen.org/2026/03/podcast-s9e7-beyond-compliance-with-laura-ferrara/

This International Women's Day, meet Kate Jones, the CEO of the Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum, where she's been busy turning regulation into a superhero for innovation! With a background rich in international law and human rights, Kate brings a unique perspective to the digital landscape. She's tackled everything from aviation to human rights and is now ensuring that tech evolves responsibly. Join us as she shares her fascinating journey, how collaboration can drive innovation, and why the future of regulation should be about embracing creativity, not stifling it! SHOW NOTES 02:52 Overview of the Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum (DRCF) 04:41 Kate's Career Journey: From Diplomacy to Digital Regulation 07:00 Taking Risks: Key Moments in Kate's Career 20:49 The Role of Regulation in Enabling Innovation 32:21 The Future of Tech Governance and Challenges Ahead Transcript and more GRC content: https://www.riskywomen.org/2026/03/podcast-s9e6-digital-regulation-with-kate-jones/

Meet Kim Jablonski, the former Chief Compliance and Ethics Officer at Bristol Myers Squibb, where she navigated the complex world of pharmaceutical ethics. With nearly her entire career at this global giant, Kim juggled legal challenges, corporate responsibilities, and raising three kids. Join us as she shares her journey, insightful lessons, and why ethical decision-making is more than just a checklist—sometimes, it's a bit of a balancing act! SHOW NOTES 00:44 Career Journey: From Law to Compliance Leadership 04:33 Creating Impact in Compliance and Ethics 07:32 Emphasising Good Decision-Making Practices 13:01 Navigating Challenges in the Biopharma Industry 22:21 Innovations and Cultural Insights in Global Teams Transcript and more GRC content: https://www.riskywomen.org/2026/02/podcast-s9e5-leading-with-integrity-in-pharma-and-at-home-kim-jablonski/

Meet Lucy Morley, our latest winner from the Risky Women Write competition! As the co-founder of Tint Financial Services, Lucy is transforming the world of cross-border trade finance for SMEs—no small feat! With a background in Classical Studies, she's here to prove that understanding the Romans can give you the upper hand in risk management. Lucy's journey has taken her from leveraged finance at major banks to the exhilarating chaos of startups. Join us as she shares how lessons from Greek myths apply to modern governance and why sometimes, keeping a keen eye on those Achilles' heels can save the day! SHOW NOTES 01:54 Career Background and Lessons Learned 12:31 Power Sharing: Lessons from Zeus 14:38 Innovation Risks: Insights from Pandora's Box 16:49 Boundary Pushing: The Icarus Principle 19:27 Identifying Vulnerabilities: The Achilles' Heel and Beyond Get transcript and read her winning article: https://www.riskywomen.org/2026/02/podcast-s9e4-greeks-romans-risk-management-with-lucy-morley/

Meet Roosa Rosti, our latest Risky Women Write competition winner! With a master's degree in data protection and privacy law, Roosa is a senior consultant at Deloitte, where she navigates the wild world of AI and internet regulation. She's not just a risk management guru; she's also a wellness enthusiast who's passionate about femtech. Think of her as the superhero fighting to ensure that women's health tech doesn't just dress up old biases with shiny new algorithms. Join us as she shares her journey, her insights on ethical AI, and why mentoring the next generation is her true superpower! SHOW NOTES 01:11 Roosa's Career Journey: From Law to Deloitte 02:48 Navigating Challenges: The Decision to Return to Education 04:08 Building a Culture of Mentorship 08:35 Femtech: Navigating Opportunities and Risks 14:04 Implementing Governance by Design Transcript and more GRC content: https://www.riskywomen.org/2026/02/podcast-s9e3-female-oversight-with-roosa-rosti/

Listen in to our guest Sabrina Segal the winner of the Risky Women Write competition and a globe-trotting risk management expert. With over 20 years of experience as a licensed attorney and Certified Fraud Examiner, Sabrina's career spans multiple countries and sectors, including humanitarian work and compliance. Currently rocking it from Rwanda, she's shaking up traditional practices, even penning an obituary for the outdated risk matrix. Get ready for insights, laughs, and Sabrina's innovative takes on the world of risk! SHOW NOTES 01:43 The Risk Collaborative: Transforming Nonprofit Risk Management 04:31 Sabrina's Global Career Path in Risk and Compliance 09:11 Objective-Centered Risk Management: A Game Changer 20:00 Using Humor to Demystify Risk Management 36:27 Critiquing the Risk Matrix and Three Lines of Defense Transcript and more: https://www.riskywomen.org/2026/01/podcast-s9e2-obituary-for-the-risk-matrix-with-sabrina-segal/

Dive into top compliance priorities for 2026 - the most unpredictable year yet - with our latest episode, where we explore the evolving landscape of regulatory priorities. Join Kimberley Cole and industry experts Bernadine Reese and Carol Beaumier from Protiviti as they unpack the complexities of compliance in an unpredictable environment. This episode is a must-listen for anyone navigating the challenges of governance, risk, and compliance. SHOW NOTES 00:01 2026 Compliance Landscape 02:06 Reflecting on 2025 Predictions 03:41 Unpredictability in Regulation 13:49 Building Trust and Ethical Decision-Making 18:58 The Role of Technology in Compliance 21:11 Q Day & Other Hot Takes Transcript and more: https://www.riskywomen.org/2026/01/podcast-s9e1-compliance-priorities-for-2026/

Meet Susannah Hammond, a trailblazer in governance, risk management, and compliance (GRC) with over 30 years of experience in financial services and technology. A chartered accountant and a distinguished fellow of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment, Susannah is a powerful voice in her field. As the recent winner of the Risky Women Write competition, her groundbreaking article on embedded supervision is set to revolutionize compliance. She champions a bold vision where regulators gain direct access to firms' systems, transforming the regulatory landscape into a more efficient and collaborative process. With her insights, Susannah is paving the way for a future where technology enhances compliance, saves costs, and builds trust—an evolution that could change the game for GRC forever! SHOW NOTES 01:32 Career Journey 10:48 Embedded Supervision and Its Potential 16:07 Data Governance and AI in Compliance 21:02 Chat Bankman-Fried? 25:36 Predictions and Future of GRC Get transcripts, links, and read her winning article: https://www.riskywomen.org/2025/12/podcast-s8e14-embedded-supervision-with-susannah-hammond/

Risky Women, the global network dedicated to connecting, celebrating and championing women in Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC) today announced an affiliate partnership with SoftSkillingIt to deliver its online training programme to the emerging and established risk and compliance workforce. This course is designed to address the growing need to equip individuals at all career stages with essential soft skills -aka human skills and professional skills - for personal development and professional growth. In an era defined by rapid advancements in artificial intelligence and automation, the demand for uniquely human attributes such as critical thinking, problem-solving, emotional intelligence, adaptability, communication, and collaboration has surged.

Christine Lowthian, Head of Regulatory Compliance at HSBC, on her career journey, the importance of seizing opportunities and building a supportive network. She highlights her experience leading global teams, particularly in commercial banking and the U.S., and the challenges of managing multicultural teams. Lowthian stresses the role of technology, particularly AI, in enhancing compliance efficiency but noted the need for clean data. She advises aspiring leaders to embrace opportunities, maintain open communication with boards and regulators, and focus on strategic thinking and continuous improvement. SHOW NOTES 02:12 Career Journey 05:46 Leading Global Teams 08:50 Managing Multicultural Teams 16:27 Skills for the Compliance Officer of the Future 17:57 Engaging with Boards and Regulators 26:29 Handling Challenging Personalities 29:05 Advice for Women Starting Out Transcript and more GRC content: https://www.riskywomen.org/2025/11/podcast-s813-leading-global-teams-managing-with-impact-christine-lowthian/

Today we're launching Risky Women Academy, where we empower women in governance, risk, and compliance to advance in their careers! I'm Kimberley Cole, and I'm excited to share that we offer a range of courses from various providers, covering everything from trade and industry topics to essential soft skills. Bringing you new ways to learn from experts in the GRC industry, you'll also find discounts and special offers on courses right here. Discover the tools and knowledge you need to excel in your career! Check out Risky Women Academy now and be part of a community that champions your success. Are you part of an organization eager to showcase your valuable content? We invite you to collaborate with us! Reach out at info@riskywomen.org to explore how we can elevate the conversation together. Let's keep building on our super powers for even greater success!