Kittony urges stronger risk management amid emerging digital threats at IRM meet

Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) Chairman Kiprono Kittony has urged investors and institutions across Kenya to prioritise risk management as the country faces emerging threats, particularly in the digital space.

Kittony emphasised the need for strategic partnerships and stronger risk leadership to safeguard economic resilience.

“The Kenya Kwanza administration is committed to policies that promote institutional growth,” he said Thursday during a high-level executive breakfast hosted by the Institute of Risk Management (IRM) Africa.

Kittony was the chief guest during the event.

“I commend IRM for their important work, and we look forward to collaborating with them and other stakeholders to strengthen our economy’s resilience,” he stated.

Kittony reaffirmed that Kenya remains on a positive growth trajectory and encouraged continued investor confidence in the country’s markets.

The IRM Africa event brought together top executives, including CEOs, Chief Risk Officers (CROs), and institutional leaders, to discuss the future of risk management and how East African organisations can adopt more forward-looking approaches.

Speaking at the forum, Director of Strategy and Partnerships at the Risk Management Hub in Africa Joyce Ndirangu, called on institutions to embed a culture of proactive risk mitigation within their operations.

“East Africa’s economic transformation depends on leadership that views uncertainty not as a barrier but as a catalyst for innovation and resilience,” she said.

Ndirangu said in many organisations, risk management is still treated merely as a compliance function.

“This must change. Risk should be repositioned as a strategic enabler, central to decision-making, innovation, and long-term sustainability,” she said.

This, as while adding that IRM is committed to partnering with institutions across Kenya and Africa to build risk management capacity at all levels.

She also underscored the importance of integrating risk-informed thinking into leadership, strategy, operations, and governance, reaffirming IRM’s commitment to strengthening the risk profession and promoting decision excellence across the region.