Key Takeaways from #RISK Europe 2025

Representing Pro Global were Millie Toft, Barry Stock, Mike Dalzell, Asim Memon, Miriam Afonso, Julie Wood and Johnsey John, who joined a wide range of sessions and exchanged insights with peers across the sector. The event created valuable opportunities for discussion and collaboration, helping the team explore how innovation and integrity can move forward together.

A major theme this year was the growing maturity of conversations around AI governance and responsible innovation. Sessions such as AI, Privacy and Power: Is the GRC Fit for an AI Future? highlighted the increasing need for clear accountability, ethics, proper governance frameworks and leadership ownership when adopting AI, along with ongoing dialogue with users and stakeholders to understand impacts, needs and risks. With the rise of AI and other technology enablement, organisations also need high-quality data and strong data governance, ensuring that senior roles take responsibility for the data they own and controls around it, including good governance of any third parties connected to that data.

Cyber resilience also featured prominently throughout the conference. Sessions such as Cyber Risk is Business Risk reinforced that cyber threats are now core business issues rather than technical ones. When understood and managed effectively, cyber risks can act as business enablers, helping organisations strengthen resilience and make better-informed decisions. The term resilience resonated strongly across discussions, reflecting how it now covers many areas of risk including operational, cyber, regulatory and cultural considerations.

The growing challenge of third-party risk was another recurring point. As businesses become more interconnected, the need for ongoing, proactive management of third-party risk has never been more critical to maintaining resilience across the organisation.

A key message from several sessions, including Beyond Compliance: Building GRC into Business DNA, was that the traditional tick-box approach to compliance has had its time. To support fast and resilient growth, risk and compliance must be deeply embedded within the business, influencing decision-making, culture and daily behaviour.

The conference also underscored the importance of continually updating and resetting risk management practices to reflect changing business needs, regulatory developments and emerging technologies. Speakers emphasised the value of keeping processes simple and maintaining ongoing dialogue with stakeholders, helping to generate the right behaviours and keep risk management practical and forward-looking.

#RISK Europe 2025 once again demonstrated the value of bringing together a wide and diverse community to deepen understanding and strengthen collective resilience. For the Pro Global team, it was an energising and thought-provoking event that reinforced our commitment to helping clients navigate complexity with confidence, clarity and purpose.

Many thanks to the organisers for a great event!