The Risk Wheelhouse Podcast
The Risk Wheelhouse is the podcast dedicated to exploring how RiskTech is reshaping the future of risk management. Hosted by our experts, Ori Wellington and Sam Jones, each episode delves deep into Integrated Risk Management (IRM), offering insights into the latest trends, technologies, and strategies. Join us to stay ahead in the ever-evolving risk landscape and empower your organization with actionable knowledge.
S3E9: Starved from the Edges – Why Connected Intelligence Matters in Autonomous IRM
When Automation Moves Fast—and Misses the Point
In this episode of The Risk Wheelhouse, Ori Wellington and Sam Jones expose the blind spot threatening today’s most advanced risk tech: isolation.
Autonomous IRM is no longer theory. AI platforms like Tuskira are already simulating threats and triggering real-time responses. But as this episode reveals, most operate in a vacuum—starved of strategic input from the top and assurance feedback from the bottom.
The result? High-speed automation chasing low-value noise.
S3E8: The Risk Ignored - Losing the Secret Formula
When Risk Intelligence Is Just a Lie You Tell Yourself
In this episode of The Risk Wheelhouse, Ori Wellington and Sam Jones take listeners deep inside the boardroom drama, technology illusions, and costly consequences that define one of the most revealing chapters in risk history. Drawing from The Risk Ignored Part I, Chapter 4 by John A. Wheeler, they uncover how SunTrust’s billion-dollar implosion wasn’t just a financial disaster—it was a failure of architecture, mindset, and nerve.
And the kicker? The very tools sold to prevent this kind of catastrophe—first-generation GRC platforms—were part of the problem.
S3E7: Integrated Risk Thinking and the IRM Navigator™ Model
Why Integrated Risk Thinking (IRT) is the Strategic Superpower Your Business Has Been Missing
For organizations in today’s digital era, the biggest risk might not be what’s coming—but how you’re thinking.
Traditional risk management has always been reactive. It slices risk into categories—financial, operational, cybersecurity—and manages them in isolation. The result? Fragmented insights, missed signals, and a business strategy vulnerable to blind spots. Even Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) platforms, once hailed as the future, have largely become digital filing cabinets—useful, but far from transformative.
That’s where Integrated Risk Thinking (IRT) changes the game.
S3E6: The Strategic Risk Revolution—Why Traditional GRC Is Falling Short
In Episode S3E6 of The Risk Wheelhouse Podcast, hosts Ori Wellington and Sam Jones unpack a revealing analysis by McKinsey & Company, highlighting critical weaknesses in traditional Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) frameworks. Despite significant investment, many organizations report disappointing results from legacy GRC approaches. Wellington and Jones discuss five systemic shortcomings identified by McKinsey that underscore why traditional GRC struggles in today’s complex, rapidly evolving business environment.
S3E5: The Workiva Sell-Off Reveals What's Really Driving Today's IRM Market
A minor tremor—or a market wake-up call?
In the latest episode of The Risk Wheelhouse, hosts Ori Wellington and Sam Jones break down a seemingly routine market fluctuation that revealed far more than expected. Season 3, Episode 5—The Workiva Sell-Off Reveals What’s Really Driving Today’s IRM Market—examines how the sudden drop in Workiva’s stock price, despite favorable earnings, exposed a deeper truth about the state of Integrated Risk Management (IRM) in 2025.
At first glance, the culprit seemed small: whispers of delays to the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and postponed sustainability regulations triggered investor unease. But beneath that reaction lies a profound shift in IRM market dynamics. No longer driven solely by product innovation, today’s IRM landscape is shaped equally by the volatility of regulatory timelines, geopolitical risk, and enterprise strategy.
S3E4: Risk's Dual Lens—From Monocle to Smart Glasses
Risk management is undergoing a revolutionary transformation, and businesses stuck in outdated approaches are increasingly vulnerable in today's complex landscape. This eye-opening deep dive examines the stark contrast between traditional and modern risk perspectives through the powerful analogy of "monocles versus smart glasses."
Drawing from insights shared by John Wheeler (Wheelhouse Advisors) and Andrea Elliott (ACI Worldwide) at the Mitratech Interact Conference 2025, we explore why the old compliance-focused, backward-looking approach is dangerously inadequate. Today's interconnected challenges demand a panoramic view that integrates both assurance (protection) and performance (strategy) perspectives.
S3E3: The Missing M—Why Risk Needs Managers, Not Just Playbooks
The moment a baseball season begins, hope fills the air as teams dream of championship glory. But as any sports fan knows, talented players alone can't win championships—they need strong managers making smart calls and adjusting strategy in real-time. This powerful analogy perfectly captures what's often missing in corporate risk management today.
Many companies believe their Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC) programs provide comprehensive protection against uncertainty. Yet in practice, these programs frequently amount to little more than documenting potential problems and checking compliance boxes—the equivalent of having a playbook without a coach actively managing the game. This fundamental gap between identifying risks and actively managing them represents the critical difference between traditional GRC approaches and the emerging discipline of Integrated Risk Management (IRM).
S3E2: Flipping the Risk Conversation Forward
The relentless pace of change in today's business environment demands a radical rethinking of risk management. Gone are the days when risk could be viewed merely as a necessary evil or compliance hurdle—forward-thinking organizations are now recognizing it as a crucial lens for making better decisions and driving long-term value creation.
Drawing insights from the "Flip the Risk Conversation Forward" session at the 2025 Mitratech Interact Conference, we explore how businesses can navigate turbulence and emerge stronger by fundamentally transforming their approach to risk. John Wheeler's three-part framework—Flip, Adopt, Manage—offers a practical roadmap for organizations looking to evolve beyond siloed, reactive risk management toward a more integrated, proactive stance.
S3E1: Beyond the Box-Ticking—How Organizational Culture Drives Operational Risk
Welcome to Season 3 of The Risk Wheelhouse, where we’re turning up the heat on one of the most underappreciated yet mission-critical topics in risk management: Operational Risk. Why? Because in June, we’re releasing the highly anticipated 2025 IRM Navigator™ ORM Report, and it’s poised to reshape how the world thinks about organizational risk, resilience—and responsibility.
We kick off the season with a bang in Episode 1: Beyond the Box-Ticking—How Organizational Culture Drives Operational Risk. Hosts Ori Wellington and Sam Jones peel back the layers on one of today’s most dangerous blind spots: the cultural and behavioral failures quietly fueling massive operational breakdowns.
S2E11: The Risk Whisperer's Guide to Not Letting Your AI Go Rogue
The AI revolution isn't coming—it's already here, transforming how organizations operate. But with tremendous power comes significant responsibility. How do forward-thinking companies harness AI's potential while protecting themselves from serious risks?
S2E10: The Connected Web of Risk: How IRM Delivers Real-World Solutions for Today’s Biggest Challenges
Risk isn’t just something to track—it’s something to actively manage. But too many businesses still rely on outdated, fragmented approaches that leave them exposed to cyber threats, compliance failures, and operational disruptions. In this episode of The Risk Wheelhouse, hosts Ori Wellington and Sam Jones unpack Integrated Risk Management (IRM) as a practical, technology-driven solution that’s helping organizations simplify, automate, and streamline risk management.
S2E9: The Bargain AI That Could Break Your Business
Cheaper alternatives can be tempting—until they fail you. Now, businesses are facing the same risk with distilled AI, a slimmed-down version of powerful AI models.
In this episode of The Risk Wheelhouse, Ori Wellington and Sam Jones break down why faster, cheaper AI could come at a steep price—from amplified biases and legal risks to opaque decision-making and outdated models.
S2E7: Navigating the Maze of Global Climate Reporting Standards
In this episode of The Risk Wheelhouse, hosts Ori Wellington and Sam Jones explore the rapidly evolving climate disclosure regulations and their impact on businesses. From California’s strict climate laws to the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), companies must adapt to increasing transparency demands while managing compliance risks.
S2E6: Integrated Risk Management – Evolution Beyond ERM and GRC
Traditional risk management frameworks like Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) and Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) were designed for a different era—one where risks were more predictable and siloed. But in today’s fast-moving landscape, these approaches are no longer enough. Integrated Risk Management (IRM) is emerging as the future of risk strategy, offering a holistic, proactive approach that aligns risk with business objectives.
S2E5: Integrated Risk Management - Lessons from Oracle's GRC Exit
In this episode of The Risk Wheelhouse, hosts Ori Wellington and Sam Jones dive into a major development reshaping the Integrated Risk Management (IRM) landscape: Oracle's decision to sunset its legacy GRC suite by May 2025. The conversation explores the implications of this move, why it signals a broader shift in risk management strategies, and how businesses can turn this challenge into an opportunity.
S2E4: Autonomous IRM - AI Agents Redefining Risk Management
In this episode of The Risk Wheelhouse, hosts Ori Wellington and Sam Jones delve into the revolutionary concept of Autonomous Integrated Risk Management (IRM). By leveraging AI agents, businesses are transitioning from static risk management models to dynamic, predictive, and proactive frameworks that redefine how risks are identified, mitigated, and managed.
S2E3: How Integrated Risk Management Helps Companies Succeed in the Digital Age
In the latest episode of The Risk Wheelhouse, hosts Ori Wellington and Sam Jones explore the critical role of Integrated Risk Management (IRM) in helping businesses navigate today’s complex risk landscape. Using real-world examples, like General Motors’ Smart Driver program, the episode demonstrates how IRM addresses challenges such as data privacy concerns, regulatory compliance, and third-party vulnerabilities.
S2E2: Integrated Risk Management in Healthcare AI
In the latest episode of The Risk Wheelhouse, hosts Ori Wellington and Sam Jones delve into the transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in healthcare and explore how Integrated Risk Management (IRM) serves as the essential framework for navigating the complexities of this rapidly evolving field.
Season 2 Launch: Exploring the 2025 Integrated Risk Roadmap
Season 2 of The Risk Wheelhouse podcast kicks off with a deep dive into the 2025 Integrated Risk Roadmap, a comprehensive guide for navigating today’s dynamic risk landscape. Hosts Ori Wellington and Sam Jones discuss how Wheelhouse Advisors is tackling key challenges across Technology Risk Management (TRM), Operational Risk Management (ORM), Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC), and Enterprise Risk Management (ERM).