IRM OnWatch: Acquisitions and Partnerships Signal Further Movement Away from Stand-alone GRC to Unified IRM

IRM OnWatchM&APartnerships
Written By Samantha "Sam" Jones

This past week, the IRM market took a decisive step toward operationalizing AI oversight at scale. AuditBoard moved first with a definitive agreement to acquire FairNow, a purpose-built AI governance platform, and expanded its alliance with EY US to pair platform capabilities with consulting delivery. In parallel, boardroom and sustainability workflows tightened through a new Diligent–Persefoni partnership, and specialized compliance players announced alliances that round out the IRM ecosystem. The signal is clear: buyer demand is shifting from point capabilities to unified operating models that align platforms, data, and services across Performance, Resilience, Assurance, and Compliance.

Samantha "Sam" Jones

Samantha “Sam” Jones is the lead research analyst for the IRM Navigator™ series and a core contributor to The RiskTech Journal and The RTJ Bridge. As a digital editorial analyst, she specializes in interpreting vendor strategy, market evolution, and the convergence of technology with enterprise risk practices.

As part of Wheelhouse’s AI-enhanced advisory team, Sam applies advanced analytical tooling and editorial synthesis to help decode the structural changes shaping the risk management landscape.

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