Risk Manager - A Thankless Job

Had SVB not failed, nobody would notice the absence of their top risk manager in 2022.

This perfectly illustrates the role of risk and control staff.

When things went well (or when it seemed so), nobody sought after you.

When things went wrong, people began to look for you - not for the reason you like.

📌 From WSJ:

“ … The people in these positions succeed if their companies avert failure. It’s not particularly glamorous. It is mostly anonymous, often taken for granted, and won’t make anyone famous if they do it well. Only when they don’t will everyone pay attention.”

By this nature, risk folks are an elusive bunch.

However, if staying out of the spotlight indicates that the business is going well,

I would say to keep it that way. 😶‍🌫️

It’s the Most Thankless Job in Banking. Silicon Valley Bank Didn’t Fill It for Months.