IRM hosts Malaysian officials for risk and resilience roundtable

The Institute of Risk Management welcomed 15 senior Malaysian government officials to London on Sept. 15, 2026, for a roundtable on people risk, cyber, AI, operational risk and organisational resilience. The discussion came as part of a UK programme aimed at strengthening public-private ties and building public-sector capability in risk and digital change.

Why it matters: - The roundtable put risk, resilience and AI in front of senior officials from across the Malaysian government at a time when public-sector decision-making is being reshaped by digital change. - The discussion focused on practical questions that affect service delivery, workforce capability and accountability in government. - The session also pointed to continued UK-Malaysia engagement on risk capability and organisational resilience.

What happened: - The Institute of Risk Management welcomed a delegation of 15 senior Malaysian government officials to London on Sept. 15, 2026. - The roundtable examined people risk, cyber and artificial intelligence, operational risk and organisational resilience. - The visit was part of the UK programme for the 26th JPA-BMCC Management Development Programme. - The programme was organised by the British Malaysian Chamber of Commerce in collaboration with Malaysia’s Public Service Department. - The delegation represented the Prime Minister’s Department and the Ministries of Education, Digital, Economy, Works, Housing and Local Government, and Women, Family and Community Development.

The details: - The JPA-BMCC Management Development Programme is also known as the British Companies Attachment Programme. - The initiative has run since 1983. - The programme is designed to strengthen public-private sector ties and develop capabilities in management, operations, governance and digital skills. - The 2026 programme includes business visits and placements with BMCC member organisations in the UK. - Stephen Sidebottom, Chair of the Institute of Risk Management, led the discussion on human capital and people risk. - Sidebottom discussed how leadership, organisational culture, skills, capacity, workload and group dynamics can shape decision-making and organisational outcomes. - The discussion also covered how organisations can create environments where people can raise concerns and challenge assumptions constructively. - The roundtable explored whether hierarchical public-sector structures can support greater openness and participation. - Alex Stezycki, Chair of the IRM Cyber Group, contributed to the discussion on cyber and AI challenges for public-sector organisations. - Delegates discussed how AI, digitisation and economic change are reshaping skills needs and increasing demand for reskilling and workforce development. - Delegates also shared experiences of digital transformation in government and the challenge of building confidence in new technologies. - The discussion emphasized the need for employees to view AI as a tool that can enhance their capabilities. - Human agency remained a recurring theme, especially the need to preserve human judgement and accountability as AI becomes more embedded in decision-making. - Matt Mallett MBE, founder and managing director of M2 Advisory Ltd and formerly of the Ministry of Defence, led the operational risk discussion from a defence perspective. - Mallett drew on military and defence experience to discuss risk management in uncertain and fast-changing environments. - The discussion included mission command, a principle that combines clear objectives, authority and constraints with local judgement as situations evolve. - The session highlighted the value of enabling those closest to an issue to make informed decisions with effective governance, timely information and clear organisational objectives. - The roundtable ended with a discussion between IRM and BMCC on opportunities to deepen UK-Malaysia engagement on risk capability and organisational resilience. - Farhan Zamri, Executive Director of the British Malaysian Chamber of Commerce, said the programme is meant to build meaningful connections between Malaysia’s public sector and organisations in the UK. - Zamri said the delegation was given the chance to exchange ideas and practical perspectives on people risk, AI, cyber and operational resilience. - IRM said it looks forward to continuing engagement with BMCC and organisations across Malaysia on knowledge exchange and collaboration.

Between the lines: - The event reflects a broader push to help public servants adapt to AI and digital transformation without losing human oversight. - The focus on people risk suggests the biggest challenge is not just technology, but whether organizations can build cultures that support better judgment and challenge. - The defense framing of operational risk signals an interest in applying command-and-control lessons to civilian government settings.

What's next: - IRM and BMCC plan to keep exploring ways to strengthen collaboration on risk capability and resilience. - The 2026 JPA-BMCC programme will continue with business visits and placements at BMCC member organisations in the UK. - IRM expects to maintain engagement with Malaysian organisations on developing effective risk management and resilient institutions.

The bottom line: - The London roundtable positioned risk management as a people, technology and governance issue for Malaysia’s public sector, not just a compliance exercise.