Ellen Dunkin will lead the Risk Management Society (RIMS) as president for the 2021 term, effective 1 January 2021. Dunkin is the senior vice-president, general counsel and chief risk officer for Amalgamated Life Insurance Company in New York. She has more than 25 years of experience driving strategic and enterprise risk management programmes, as well as overseeing legal initiatives for companies including: Crump Group, Marsh & McLennan Companies, Willkie Farr and Gallagher. Dunkin was employed by RIMS from 1998 until 2007, serving as the RIMS’ general counsel and director of government affairs. She has been a member of RIMS for nearly 15 years and was actively involved with RIMS New York chapter, serving as its president from 2015 to 2016. She joined RIMS’ global board of directors in 2017 and in this capacity has been the liaison to the RI’S; finance, annual conference programming, membership, student involvement and Canada committees and councils. In addition, there are three new members to the RIMS board including Kevin Bates, group head of risk and insurance at Lendlease; Christy Kaufman, head of governance, risk and compliance at American Family Ventures; and Penni Nelson, assistant vice-president, risk management at Hillwood, a Perot Company. Commenting on her new role, Dunkin said: “Risk professionals from around the world met 2020’s challenges with fervor, delivering critical insight that allowed their organisations to adapt and emerge stronger.” “However, it’s up to us, risk professionals, to go one step further. We must continue to promote the value that we add, our impact on business development and position ourselves as indispensable strategic advisors who are pivotal to future success.” “As RIMS president, I want to continue what my predecessors started. With the support of an exceptional group of board directors, passionate volunteers and dedicated staff, this society will remain focused on developing resources to address evolving risks and that empower this professional community to demonstrate just how indispensable they really are,” Dunkin concluded.
