I’ve worked in risk management roles in the Hong Kong banking sector for more than 12 years, first in operational risk and now in a more all-encompassing senior job. Demand for risk management professionals has stayed consistently strong throughout this period, despite big ups and downs in the job market generally in banking.
But still (still!) the supply of risk people in Hong Kong isn’t enough to meet demand. And this is despite the fact that risk jobs are becoming more interesting and people (traders, for example) who have made career changes into risk have typically become very successful in the field.
I think the reason for the continual skill shortages are largely historical – perceptions of the risk management function haven’t moved with the times….