The last quarter of 2008 saw frenzied activity as global financial brands struggled to survive - many have had to apply for government money to keep going. Some of these brands no longer exist. Uncertainty in the financial sector inevitably had a knock-on effect on every other sector. Critical decisions made during this time; on mergers, sell offs, and organisation structures, took just days. Previously these decisions would have taken months.

In March 2009, with the immediate threat over and with some stability returned to the financial sector, we wanted to research how the experience had impacted attitudes - behaviour, appetite and management - towards corporate risk.

To measure this change, in March and April 2009 we spoke to over 700 senior executives (CFO, FD, CRO, or the most senior person with responsibility for managing risk) across seven industry sectors, and across 12 countries in Europe. The industries we spoke to were:

 

Customers, credit and suppliers the BIG RISKS for 2009 and beyond

The results of this research will be published in seven industry reports. And a final report will consolidate the results from all of the interviews, to provide the most thorough assessment of the changed risk landscape available in Europe since the onset of the global financial downturn. The main areas of concern now and for the coming 18 months are customers, credit and suppliers. But each report lists many other risks that are causing concern, as well as how organisations in all sectors have changed their appetite for risk, and the structure of how they manage risk.

Executive highlights for each report and other materials will be added to this web page as they become available.