What they’ll be talking about at Riskworld

Philadelphia is this year’s risk management epicenter; it’s hosting an estimated 10,000-plus attendees of the Riskworld mega-conference as of Sunday. From Middle East conflicts to a massive AI arms race to ongoing tariff whiplash, it’s already been a demanding year to manage enterprise risk.

The conference, organized by RIMS, “comes at a pivotal moment for our industry,” Adrian Hall, US CEO for Swiss Re Corporate Solutions, said in a statement, adding that “the risk landscape is becoming more complex, more interconnected, and more volatile.”

Here are just a few of the major themes we expect to dominate this year’s discussions—and why they matter to CFOs.

Interconnectedness. The global economy is in its polycrisis era. This means organizations must navigate “a situation where multiple risks are occurring simultaneously,” according to Manny Padilla, president of RIMS. Risks are “all interacting and being amplified in ways that challenge traditional risk management frameworks,” Padilla told CFO Brew.

“In an environment defined by uncertainty, resilience is no longer about reacting to single events, but preparing for multiple, overlapping disruptions,” Hall agreed.

Budget uncertainty. International events like the US-Israel war with Iran can have knock-on effects for organizations globally. Look no further than lengthy trade disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. As Rydoo CFO Aidana Zhakupbekova recently told us, geopolitical volatility makes traditional budgeting “no longer acceptable.”

“I personally can’t wait even for a month to close to see where we’re at,” she said.

The business implications of geopolitics go beyond budgeting and forecasting. One session at Riskworld will explore how “rising geopolitical tensions…are reshaping global insurance markets.” Another mentions that geopolitical volatility, among numerous other factors, “threaten[s] employee travel.”

AI takeover. AI technology will be “front and center” at Riskworld, Padilla said, adding that risk experts must figure out the best ways to use it, but use it responsibly.

Padilla said the convention floor will host more than 300 exhibitors, many of which will be pitching AI solutions “that are trying to…make our lives better, more efficient, and trying to drive to the root cause of where the inefficiencies are in the way we do business.”

The AI use cases may feel endless. Along with opportunities, though, come material risks, which companies have increasingly disclosed in SEC filings. Underwriters—no surprise here—are scrutinizing organizations’ use of the technology and its effect on all kinds of commercial insurance policies.