Navigating Geopolitical Risk: A Strategic Approach

Geopolitical developments have become one of the defining sources of strategic and operational risk for organizations around the world. Wars, trade disputes, sanctions, cyber conflict, political instability, supply chain disruption, and shifting international alliances are reshaping the global business environment at an unprecedented pace. This is not a course on international relations or military history. It is a practical workshop on how global events create measurable business risks—and how risk professionals and others can help their organizations anticipate, assess, and respond to them.
Develop your expertise across two of today's fastest-evolving risk disciplines while enjoying exceptional value. By booking the Geopolitics and Financial Crime Risk Management Workshops together, you'll receive an exclusive bundle discount of approximately 15% compared with purchasing each workshop separately.
 
  Date:
Two live virtual sessions
September 8 & 9, 2026

  Time:
9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Eastern  (2:00 - 6:00 p.m. GMT)  with one 15-minute break

 

 

  Presented By:
Justin C. McCarthy, CEO PRMIA, bringing over two decades of experience in global risk management, regulation and governance, together with extensive international experience working with financial institutions, regulators and Boards across Europe, North America, the Middle East and Asia.

  Session Length:
Two days of training | Live Training via Zoom

Your Zoom access will be provided the Monday prior to the workshop start.

About This Course
 

Expand your risk management expertise by understanding how geopolitical developments can reshape your organization's risk profile.


Designed specifically for risk professionals, this interactive two-day workshop, delivered by PRMIA CEO Justin C. McCarthy, explores how geopolitical developments translate into strategic, operational, financial, and reputational risks. Participants will gain practical frameworks and techniques to identify emerging threats, assess their potential impact and strengthen organizational resilience.

Combining global perspectives with practical risk management approaches, the workshop examines how geopolitical events influence strategy, operations, supply chains, financial markets, regulation, and governance. Through interactive discussions, real-world case studies, and practical exercises, participants will learn how to incorporate geopolitical risk into enterprise risk management, business continuity planning, and strategic decision-making.

What sets this apart:

  • Designed specifically for risk management professionals, not political scientists
  • Focuses on the business and risk implications of geopolitical developments rather than international politics
  • Practical frameworks for identifying, assessing, monitoring, and responding to geopolitical risk
  • Interactive discussions, scenario exercises, and real-world case studies integrated throughout the program
  • Draws on global experience working with financial institutions, regulators, and organizations across Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Asia
  • Provides practical tools and approaches that participants can immediately apply within their own organizations

Key takeaways:

By the end of this workshop, you will:

  • Understand the major geopolitical trends shaping today's business environment
  • Identify how geopolitical developments create strategic, operational, financial, cyber, and supply chain risks
  • Assess geopolitical risk using practical frameworks, scenario analysis, and early warning indicators
  • Incorporate geopolitical risk into enterprise risk management, business continuity and operational resilience programs
  • Provide informed advice to senior management and Boards on emerging geopolitical threats and opportunities
  • Strengthen your organization's preparedness for an increasingly uncertain and interconnected world

 

Agenda
 Day 1 – Understanding the Geopolitical Landscape
Welcome and Introduction:
 - Why geopolitical risk has become a board-level priority for Risk Managers

The New Global Landscape:
 - The shift to a multipolar world
 - Great power competition
 - Emerging geopolitical trends

Global Risk Drivers:
 - Regional hotspots and strategic competition
 - Energy, technology, and critical resources
 - Political instability and global security

Economic Statecraft:
 - Trade wars, tariffs, sanctions and export controls
 - Supply chain resilience and economic security
 - The growing role of governments in global business

Throughout the day: Practical discussions and real-world case studies illustrating how geopolitical developments have reshaped industries, financial markets and organizational risk.

Day 2 – Managing Geopolitical Risk
From Global Events to Business Risks:
 - Strategic, operational, financial, and reputational impacts
 - Third-party, cyber, and supply chain risk

Risk Assessment and Scenario Planning:
 - Horizon scanning and early warning indicators
 - Country risk assessment
 - Scenario analysis and stress testing

Governance and Organizational Resilience:
 - Board oversight and governance
 - Crisis management and operational resilience
 - Building an effective geopolitical risk framework

Looking Ahead:
 - Emerging geopolitical risks
 - Future global trends
 - Key takeaways for risk professionals

Throughout the day: Interactive exercises, practical frameworks, and real-world case studies demonstrating how organizations can identify, assess, and respond to geopolitical risk. 

 

Participant Information
 

Attendance at every Zoom session for the full session is required.  Your Zoom access will be provided the Monday prior to the workshop start.

Who should attend:

This workshop is designed for risk professionals, internal auditors, compliance officers, business continuity and operational resilience specialists, cyber and third-party risk managers, strategy and corporate planning teams, senior executives, and Board members seeking to better understand and manage the impact of geopolitical developments on their organizations.

Format & schedule:

Two live virtual sessions: September 8 and 9, 2026, 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Eastern / 2:00 - 6:00 p.m. GMT

Interactive delivery via Zoom, including discussions, case studies, practical templates, and actionable takeaways.

 
About Our Expert

  
 

Justin McCarthy brings a wealth of experience from his roles in prestigious firms such as Bank of America Merrill Lynch, PricewaterhouseCoopers, and the Irish Financial Regulator. His extensive background has provided him with a unique perspective on the evolution of risk management and regulation, particularly during and after the Global Financial Crisis.

As the CEO of PRMIA, Justin leads a global network of over 45,000 risk management professionals. He holds a BSc in Computer Science from University College Cork and an MBA from the Michael Smurfit Graduate School of Business at University College Dublin. He has also earned a Corporate Director Certificate from Harvard Business School.

He brings practical insights gained through years of leading a global professional association, working with international Boards, and engaging with risk professionals, regulators and financial institutions around the world on emerging geopolitical and strategic risks.



Continued Risk Learning Credits: 8

PRMIA Continued Risk Learning (CRL) programs provide you with the opportunity to formally recognize your professional development, documenting your evolution as a risk professional. Employers can see that you are not static, making you a highly valued, dynamic, and desirable employee. The CRL program is open to all Contributing and Sustaining members, providing a convenient and easily accessible way to submit, manage, track and document your activities online through the PRMIA CRL Center. To request CRL credits, please email [email protected].

 

Registration
 Membership Type Price
Sustaining, Corporate and RIM Members  US $639.00   
Contributing Members  US $719.00
Non-members  US $799.00
 
 
 
               

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When
9/8/2026 9:00 AM - 9/9/2026 1:00 PM
Eastern Daylight Time
Where
Virtual

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