IRM names Clements risk professional of the year and Sonigo scoops lifetime award

Mr Clements scooped the risk management professional of the year award and Mr Sonigo the IRM’s lifetime achievement nomination.

Other noteworthy successes included Helen Hunter-Jones, Assurance Manager at Network Rail, triumphing in the hard-fought international diploma student of the year category and Zurich landing risk management solution of the year for its Risk Room facility.

The award winners were announced last Thursday at the Grand Connaught Rooms in front of over 350 international risk leaders.

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Supported by the City of London Corporation and Marsh Risk Consulting, the awards were judged by a panel of over 30 senior IRM Fellows and members from across the world.

Steve Fowler, IRM Chief Executive, said the awards focused on the ‘range of practical qualities required for risk management excellence in today’s world’.

Mr Sonigo was said he was ‘delighted’ to receive his award, which recognises individuals that have made a significant contribution to the risk management profession over a number of years. He added: “It is a real honour to receive such an accolade.”

Richard Anderson, IRM chairman, said: “The lifetime achievement award is considered by a panel made up of IRM past chairmen. We were unanimous in our decision to make this award to Pierre, whose commitment to the risk management community has been inspirational to us all.”

Mr Sonigo has been closely involved with Ferma ‘s work on the EU Environmental Liability Directive and Solvency II. The Frenchman is the former vice-president for environment, health and safety and risk management at Pechiney, a global aluminium conglomerate. Prior to this, he held several risk management positions at multinational companies.

Ms Hunter-Jones won her award after students who achieved the highest marks in examinations for the IRM Diploma were required to produce a 1000 word submission on managing business risks in Georgia.

Jonathan Smith, Compliance and Conduct Risk Manager at Lloyds Banking Group, joined Ms Hunter-Jones on the podium as he won the international certificate student of the year award.

Mr Smith said he was ‘incredibly surprised’ to win, adding: “I was really proud that my hard work and studying paid off. It affirms that I want to be a risk manager. I’ve got a taste for it now and want to progress.”

Socrates Coudounaris, Senior Manager at PwC, was unveiled as this year’s winner of the Butterworth award for services to the IRM.

Named in honour of dynamic former IRM chairman Mark Butterworth, the award marks significant contribution by members towards the work of the institute.

After accepting the prize on stage from Mr Fowler, Mr Coudounaris commented: “Receiving this award is an absolute honour.”

Mr Fowler said: “IRM depends upon its volunteer members for its achievements and its reputation as the world’s leader in global risk education. Socrates leads by example with his personal commitment to professional education and training and he has also worked tirelessly to advance the interests of the institute across the profession and particularly in his native Cyprus.”

The full list of IRM Global Risk Award winners is as follows:

Risk management professional of the year

Adrian Clements, ArcelorMittal

Risk management newcomer of the year

Christopher Greaves, Zurich Risk Engineering

A Highly Commended award was given to Hassan Al Alawi, The Oil and Gas Holding Company (nogaholding)

Partnership of the year

Intercontinental Hotels Group and Oxford Brookes University

A Highly Commended award was given to Crossrail

Delivering value through risk management

Balfour Beatty Fleet Services

Managing risk across boundaries

The TRIDEC project (from the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences)

Innovation through technology

ScottishPower and the Amor Group

A Highly Commended award was given to Ealing Council

Risk management solution of the year

Zurich Risk Room – Zurich Insurance Company

A highly commended award was given to Active Risk Manager – Active Risk

Excellence in the face of adversity

KA Goalkeeping

Building risk management capability

Joint winners: The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) and Intel Corporation

Risk management consultancy of the year

DS+A

Risk management service provider of the year

Reliance General Insurance (India)

A Highly Commended award was given to Zurich Risk Engineering

SME risk management initiative

Maclear

IRM awards

International diploma student of the year

Helen Hunter-Jones, Assurance Manager at Network Rail

International certificate student of the year

Jonathan Smith, Compliance and Conduct Risk Manager at Lloyds Banking Group

Butterworth award for services to IRM

Socrates Coudounaris, Senior Manager at PwC

Lifetime achievement award

Pierre Sonigo, Secretary General of the Federation of European Risk Management Associations (Ferma)