I recently commented on a thoughtful post by Mustapha Bernabas Mugisa, who calls himself Mr. Strategy. I like his LinkedIn profile, where he says:
You don’t need a roadmap—you need a compass. Over 20 years, I’ve guided businesses across the globe to identify opportunities, manage risks, and stay on course amid constant change. Whether securing funding or transforming governance for multinational corporations, I combine strategic insight with actionable solutions. My expertise bridges strategy, governance, and technology to help you not just survive but thrive.
I like it because that’s the way I think about both personal and work life: set and achieve objectives by making informed and intelligent decisions that seize opportunities and navigate obstacles, while complying with applicable laws, regulations, and ethical values.
In his LinkedIn post, he suggests a form of “simplified risk appetite statement”.
I am not a fan of risk appetite, let alone risk appetite statements (RAS). I last shared my views in April in Risk appetite and common sense.
Today I will take a slightly different approach by asking:
If a risk appetite statement is the answer, what is the question?
…and
Why do you want a risk appetite statement? What are you trying to achieve?
My answers:
If a risk appetite statement is the…
