Organisations seeking to remain competitive in an increasingly volatile global environment must move beyond traditional approaches to risk management and intentionally build institutions that are resilient by design, Barbara Dede Ama Okai-Tettey, Head of Business Enablement, Business and Commercial Banking at Stanbic Bank LTD, has said.

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Delivering an address at Risk Summit 2026, Ms Okai-Tettey challenged business leaders, policymakers and governance professionals to rethink resilience, arguing that it is not defined by an organisation's ability to respond to crises but by the quality of its thinking long before disruption occurs.

Speaking on the topic, "Thinking Beyond Risk: The True Foundation of Institutional Resilience," she noted that while geopolitical instability, cyber threats, artificial intelligence, climate change, financial crime and economic uncertainty continue to reshape the global risk landscape, the institutions that will thrive are those that develop the capability to think critically, adapt quickly and make sound decisions under pressure.

"Institutional resilience is not built in the middle of a crisis," she said. "It is cultivated through deliberate leadership, strong governance and a culture that encourages curiosity, constructive challenge and disciplined decision-making. The future belongs not to institutions that eliminate every risk, but to those that think beyond risk."

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She explained that many organisations continue to equate resilience with stronger controls, additional policies and increased regulatory compliance. While these remain essential pillars of effective governance, she stressed that they are only part of the equation.

"Policies do not make decisions. Controls do not exercise judgement. People do," she remarked. "Resilience is ultimately determined by the quality of leadership, the strength of institutional culture and an organisation's ability to think through complexity to develop practical and sustainable solutions."

According to Ms Okai-Tettey, major crises rarely create entirely new weaknesses. Instead, they expose vulnerabilities that have existed within institutions but have remained unaddressed.

"Whether the challenge is a cyberattack, financial crime, operational failure or economic disruption, crises often reveal weaknesses in governance, decision-making or organisational culture. Building resilience, therefore, requires organisations to identify and address these vulnerabilities before they become points of failure."

She further emphasised that resilience is a shared organisational responsibility rather than the sole preserve of risk, compliance and assurance functions.

"The role of risk professionals is evolving," she said. "It is no longer sufficient to simply identify issues or prevent failure. We must help organisations navigate uncertainty by balancing opportunity with accountability and enabling sustainable business outcomes. Effective governance should create confidence for innovation, not barriers to progress."

📰 Source: Joy Online Ghana