FEDELE CAPPIELLOINTERVIEW

ASSOCIATION: ANRA - ITALY

AGE: 30

JOB: RISK MANAGER – WESTERN EUROPE AND AFRICA (2006 – PRESENT)

EDUCATION: MASTER IN DEGREE IN FINANCE AT BOCCONI UNIVERSITY - MILAN

QWHAT MADE YOU WANT TO

BE A RISK PROFESSIONAL? 

AMy story in the Risk Management world started rather by chance.

Pirelli picked my name during a session of selection of newly graduated young people and after that they offered me one of their vacant posts at that moment. The position was inside the Corporate Risk Management Department.

I was really excited and enthusiastic about working within one of the major Italian multinationals, although my knowledge of the Risk Management was not so deep. However, I realized very soon that Pirelli Risk Management was known in the market as one of the best RM school in Italy for the professionalism of the people and this was a really great discovery for a young person eager to learn like I was. In these years I have actually learned a lot about this field and I’ve become very keen on it.

QWHAT TYPE OF SKILLS DO YOU REQUIRE MOST TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN YOUR DEPARTMENT? 

A  In my opinion a successful Risk Manager has to be open-minded and

needs to be ready to challenge the conventional approach to problems. Curiosity, ability to foresee changes occurring in the world, ability to communicate effectively and negotiation skills are also very important.

From a technical standpoint, a background with financial, statistical, legal knowledge can be of great support.

QWHAT KIND OF LINK EXISTS BETWEEN INSURANCE AND RISK IN YOUR ORGANIZATION?   

ARisk Management is strategically approached within our organization. We have indeed proactively assumed a formal organizational structure to deal effectively with the risks we face.

Insurance is only one of the available tools to tackle risks, but definitely neither the only one nor the first one we use.

QWOULD YOU ADVISE STARTING TO LEARN IN A LARGE ORGANIZATION WITH SOME EMBEDDED RISK PROCESSES OR IN A COMPANY WHERE THIS AREA IS AT THE BEGINNING OF

ITS DEVELOPMENT? 

AIn my career, I have grown professionally in a large organization with embedded risk processes and I can confirm that, to the purpose of learning, this has been very important for me.

I have learnt in an environment where there has always been a very serious and high attention to risks, I have “smelt” this approach from the very first day in Pirelli and this has helped me understand the importance of my job.

QWHAT WOULD BE YOUR ADVICE TO STUDENTS CURRENTLY STUDYING RISK MANAGEMENT?

AMy advice to Risk Management students is to take it very seriously and be ready to enter a world that is getting ever more important inside organizations especially after the recent economic crisis.   

QWHAT DEPARTMENTS DO YOU WORK CLOSEST WITH IN YOUR ORGANIZATION?

HOW BIG IS THE TEAM YOU ARE WORKING IN?  

AOne of the most stimulating aspects of our job is the possibility of working with all the departments throughout the company. As a matter of fact, I have almost daily contacts with Logistics, Marketing, Industrial, Legal, Tax, Finance, R&D, Administration & Control both in Italy and in the countries part of my region.

This means having a privileged view on the direction the company is heading and contributes to build up a strong sense of identification and membership towards the organization.

The team I am working in has an international presence with people located in Milan, South America and North America totaling around 10 people.

I am in charge of the Western Europe and Africa regions and I directly report to the Risk Management Director.

QAT WHAT LEVEL IS RISK MANAGEMENT AND ISSUES AROUND MANAGING RISK ADDRESSED IN YOUR ORGANIZATION? 

ARisk management as a process is addressed at a very top level within Pirelli.

The Risk Management Director directly reports to the CFO of the Company and works closely with the Risk Committee which is participated by the Top Managers of the Company (President and CEO and his first line).

QHOW HAS THE RECENT FINANCIAL CRISIS AFFECTED THE WAY ORGANIZATIONS SEE RISK? 

A 

The recent financial crisis has substantially changed the way organizations see Risk. The interest in Risk Management has grown significantly and it is now ever more deemed a department that can protect the companies’ continuity and contribute to allow them to stay well in the current, highly competitive economic environment.

QWHAT ARE SOME OF THE MAJOR CHANGES HAPPENING IN RISK MANAGEMENT IN ITALY? 

ARisk Management is quite important to large organizations in Italy. Most of the big companies have a Risk Management structure and are especially aware of its strategic role and weight. We have a very active Risk Managers association (ANRA) which continuously promotes our activity and tries to spread it all over our country.

However, the Italian industrial sector is mainly composed by a number of medium and small companies which not always have a formal and structured approach to Risk Management, although they understand very well the risks they cope with.

The big challenge here in Italy is surely to spread a risk management culture throughout this class of companies.

@GET INVOLVED IN THE NETWORK

JOIN THE YOUNG RISK PROFESSIONAL NETWORK ON LINKEDIN:

 The Young Risk Professionals Network is targeted at European Risk Professionals under 35 years of age, and provides a platform for discussion and networking. We aim to raise awareness of Risk Management, and show the benefits of collaboration across industries and countries. This group, for experienced Young Risk professionals and aspiring students alike, provides the opportunity to share insights and experiences of working in Risk Management, as well helping build a vision of the industry’s future.

On LinkedIn the top right hand corner, search Groups for ‘Young Risk Professionals’ or click here: http://www.linkedin.com/groups/Young-Risk-Professionals-4086521