2026 February E-Newsletter
A Message from our Executive Director
Dear Members,
Thank you to everyone who took the time to complete our recent member survey. Your insights help to ensure we continue to deliver what risk professionals want and need to succeed and progress in their careers.
Across our diverse membership base, five clear themes emerged:
AI, Digital & the Future of Risk
Artificial Intelligence emerged as the dominant topic across all datasets, appearing in:
- Topic preferences
- Emerging risks
- Career development priorities
- Barriers and challenges
- Improvement suggestions
This presents a significant opportunity for RMA Australia to advance member capability in this rapidly evolving area. The following remain front of mind.
Emerging Risks
- Cyber risk
- Climate risk
- Geopolitical instability
- Operational resilience
Case Studies & Real-World Applications
Members want practical insights grounded in real scenarios and lived experience.
Technical Capability Development
Strong demand exists for content covering data analytics, modelling, regulatory updates, and stress testing.
Practical Learning & Networking
Members are seeking applied, non-theoretical content alongside increased opportunities to connect and share experiences.
We have taken this feedback on board and are incorporating these priorities into the planning of our 2026 events, webinars, forums, and educational sessions.
RMA Australia’s first webinar of the year set a strong tone for 2026, with Peter Deans and his expert panel delivering a sharp and practical briefing on the financial risks likely to shape the year ahead. While perspectives varied, the overarching themes and challenges were clearly aligned.
One message stood out: don’t be spooked by sudden market shifts — often staying the course delivers the best outcomes.
Thank you to Lianne Bolton (GAICD), Craig Parker, Ben Roberts-Thomson and Tim Ledingham for their valuable insights and to the 300 members who attended and rated the webinar a 4.7/5 ⭐ rating, making it a standout start to the year.
Richard Gilbert
Executive Director
RMA Australia
Events Leadership Update
We are pleased to introduce Fiona Jarmson as the new Chair of the Events Sub-Committee. This role is critical to the successful delivery of our annual program of events and webinars, the RMA Australia flagship product. We thank Fiona for taking on this important leadership position.
Fiona Jarmson is a Director in Risk Consulting at KPMG with over 20 years of experience leading enterprise and non‑financial risk across major UK and Australian financial institutions. She brings deep expertise in regulatory reform, risk transformation, and Board‑level risk oversight, with a strong track record of delivering practical, sustainable uplift in risk management capability.
Fiona has led major regulatory initiatives addressing financial and operational resilience and regularly presents actionable insights to Executive Committees and Boards. She is recognised for her ability to translate regulatory and emerging risk expectations into practical operating models, governance and accountability outcomes.
Previously, Fiona held senior leadership roles at NatWest Group, spanning enterprise risk management, risk transformation and wholesale credit risk analytics. Across these roles, she shaped group‑wide risk frameworks, strengthened risk reporting and appetite governance, and led large‑scale transformation initiatives in response to regulatory and strategic change.
📷 Fiona Jarmson, Director, Risk Services KPMG Australia.
2026-27 Membership
Our 2026/27 membership renewals will open soon. To participate in RMA Australia events, webinars, forums, and education sessions, you must hold a current membership.
This means you will need to renew your existing membership or join as a new member if you are not yet a member. More details will be provided shortly.
Upcoming Events
3 March | 4 – 5 pm AEDT | Webinar | AML/Financial Crime – Navigating AUSTRAC Reforms l Hosted by KPMG
26 March| 4 – 5 pm AEDT l Webinar | 2026 Executive Perspectives on Top Risks and Opportunities: How business leaders are acting now to drive transformation and growth l Hosted by Protiviti
