Judging Panel 2026

Jenny Kane, Group Head of Risk, Sompo International 
Danny Pollard, Head of Risk, Redmayne Bentley
Anita Punwani, Chair, Institute of Risk Management Environmental & Social Governance Group
Andrew Sheen, operational risk specialist
Nandini Devarajan, Senior Manager, Group Risk, AirAsia
Chris Walker, Head of Risk Management, Durham University, and president of Alarm 

Jenny Kane, Group Head of Risk, Sompo International
Since September 2022 Jenny Kane served as Group Chief Risk Officer at Aspen, a specialty re/insurance business with operations in Bermuda, the US, the UK, Zurich and Singapore. She joined the company shortly after its acquisition by private equity firm Apollo, before its sale to Sompo International in February 2026. Jenny is now the Head of Risk at Sompo International, responsible for Risk, Exposure Management and Capital across the organisation. Prior to Aspen, Jenny was Senior Manager at the Prudential Regulation Authority, where she was responsible for the prudential supervision of specialty insurance and reinsurance companies operating in the Lloyd’s and London Market. She also has held roles at Novae and the UK Audit Commission.

Danny Pollard, Head of Risk, Redmayne Bentley
Danny Pollard has over 14 years’ experience in risk management, specialising in operational resilience, enterprise risk frameworks and regulatory change within financial services. Danny began his career at Capita, focusing on risk and compliance within outsourced environments in various sectors, before moving to Irwin Mitchell in 2015 and transitioning into financial services in 2022 with Redmayne Bentley. He has led key initiatives including enterprise risk system implementation, crisis management development and operational resilience initiatives. Danny is particularly interested in risk interconnectivity, emerging risks and building strong, proactive risk cultures. He was named Risk Manager of the Year at the 2025 Risk Management Awards and is a strong advocate for well-being and supportive leadership.

Anita Punwani, Chair, IRM Environmental & Social Governance Group
Anita Punwani is a qualified risk governance professional with over 30 years’ experience in the not-for-profit, public and private sectors. Anita has earned the IRM International Diploma, an MBA and a BEng from Imperial College, and an MSc in Global Governance and Ethics, and Construction Economics and Management from University College London. She is UK Head of Delegation and BSI Chairperson for ISO UN SDGs standards, Founder and Chair of IRM's Environmental and Social Governance Group, Associate Tutor on MLA College's Global Sustainable Development Programme, and a humanities teacher at City Literary Institute.

Andrew Sheen, operational risk specialist
Andrew Sheen is best known for the eight years he spent at the UK regulator, firstly in the Financial Services Authority and subsequently at the Prudential Regulation Authority. He was manager of the Operational Risk Policy Team before moving to head the team responsible for providing Operational Risk subject matter expertise to supervisors. Andrew also represented the UK on the BIS Operational Risk Working Group and the EBA Operational Risk Working Group. After the PRA, Andrew became Head of Operational Risk Use and Embedding at HSBC, and subsequently Head of Operational Risk Regulatory Risk Management at Credit Suisse. Andrew now provides consultancy services and training in a variety of risk areas.

Nandini Devarajan, Senior Manager, Group Risk, AirAsia
Nandini Devarajan is a seasoned risk and governance executive steering enterprise, operational, financial, ESG and compliance risk across Southeast Asia. A certified enterprise risk manager, business continuity professional and fellow chartered accountant, Nandini has a proven track record in aligning risk strategy with corporate objectives – successfully transforming organisations from reactive to proactive risk management models. Prior to joining AirAsia, she served at the Office of the Prime Minister of Malaysia. Outside of work, Nandini enjoys travelling, cooking, mentoring and is an active committee member of IRM Malaysia Group.

Chris Walker, Head of Risk Management, Durham University, and president of Alarm
Chris Walker is Head of Risk Management at Durham University, a member of the Russell Group of higher education institutions. Chris has been working in risk and resilience for the last 15 years, with experience across a range of sectors including housing, local government, higher education and the petrochemicals industry. In addition to his role at Durham, Chris is heavily involved with Alarm and is currently serving as Chair of the board and President. Outside of work, Chris is an avid fan of Middlesbrough FC and enjoys going to the gym and spending time with his wife and two daughters.