The future of GRC in Financial Services: From compliance overload to strategic resilience

Financial services organizations are drowning in a sea of compliance mandates: new regulations, updated expectations, expanding audit requirements, and relentless scrutiny from regulators and stakeholders alike. But is compliance the destination, or merely the starting point?

In this session, we move beyond checkbox compliance to explore how financial institutions can reframe GRC as a strategic enabler of resilience, trust, and performance. Join internationally recognized GRC authority Michael Rasmussen as he dives into how financial services firms can evolve from reactive control functions to proactive, orchestrated ecosystems of governance, risk, and compliance.

We will challenge conventional thinking and spotlight how GRC 7.0 is redefining the future of GRC in banking, insurance, asset management, and beyond.

This is not about doing more compliance. It’s about doing smart GRC that aligns with business objectives, adapts to uncertainty, and strengthens the organization’s ability to navigate the unknown.

Key takeaways: 

• Reframe Compliance as Strategic Enablement. Understand how to shift GRC from a reactive compliance burden to a proactive driver of performance, resilience, and trust in financial institutions.
• Explore the Pillars of GRC 7.0 in Finance. Learn how intelligent automation, agentic AI, and integrated risk architecture are transforming the way financial services approach governance, risk, and compliance.
• Align GRC with Business Objectives and Risk Appetite. Discover how to embed GRC into decision-making by connecting risk capacity, regulatory thresholds, and enterprise goals into a unified strategy.
• Navigate Global Regulatory Complexity with Confidence. Gain practical insight into managing compliance across overlapping international regulatory frameworks while maintaining agility and accountability.

GRC 20/20 Presenter . . .

Michael Rasmussen is an internationally recognized authority, thought leader, and pioneer in the disciplines of governance, risk management, and compliance (GRC). With over 30 years of experience, he is globally known for defining and shaping GRC strategy, processes, and technology. In February 2002, while at Forrester Research, Michael developed the concept of GRC — establishing the foundation for how organizations approach strategy, process, and technology in today’s complex business environment. For this, he is widely acknowledged as the “Father of GRC.”

A trusted advisor to boards, executives, and professionals around the world, Michael has dedicated his career to helping organizations design and implement effective GRC strategies that are aligned with business objectives. His work empowers organizations to be more effective, efficient, resilient, and agile. He is a sought-after keynote speaker, author, and advisor, with his thought leadership influencing legislation, regulatory frameworks, and corporate best practices globally.

Michael is the host of the Risk is Our Business podcast, where he leads conversations with global experts exploring the evolving frontiers of risk, resilience, and corporate integrity.

Webinar Host . . .

Decision Focus develops software for Governance, Risk and Compliance. Since 2004, Decision Focus has provided the world’s enterprises with software and services. We’ve taken our years of knowledge and experience to implement new software for Risk and Compliance which is has become leading in enterprise GRC.