Riskonnect Awards Spotlight Innovation in a High-Stakes Risk Era

LONDON – April 29, 2026 – As risk leaders gathered in London this week for Konnect Fest 2026, the atmosphere was one of shared purpose. In an era defined by cascading disruptions, from geopolitical shocks to AI-driven cyber threats, the task of managing risk has transformed from a departmental function into a core strategic imperative. At the heart of the conference, host Riskonnect, a leader in integrated risk management (IRM) solutions, celebrated the organizations at the forefront of this evolution with its annual customer awards.

The awards program, held on Tuesday, honored eight companies across four categories reflecting the firm's core values: Pioneer, Spark, Focus, and Community. While the ceremony recognized individual achievements, it also served as a barometer for the wider industry, showcasing the innovative strategies companies are deploying to build resilience.

"Our customers are navigating increasingly complex and interconnected risk challenges every day, and these awards recognise the teams that are making a real impact," said Jim Wetekamp, CEO of Riskonnect, in a statement. "They are strengthening their risk strategies, gaining a more complete view of risk across their organisations, and improving how they anticipate and respond to cascading impacts."

The New Pioneers of Risk Mitigation

The winners represent a cross-section of the modern economy, each facing a unique matrix of threats. The 'Pioneer' award, celebrating those who explore new ways to deliver value, was presented to Travelopia, a global collection of specialist travel brands, and Somerset Bridge Group, an insurance services provider. For a company like Travelopia, pioneering in risk means navigating a minefield of potential disruptions—from geopolitical instability and public health crises to the operational complexities of a global travel supply chain. Their recognition points to a proactive strategy that moves beyond simple crisis response to anticipate and model potential impacts on travelers and operations.

Similarly, the 'Focus' award, honoring a relentless commitment to continuous improvement, was given to insurance giants Swiss Life and another customer. For a major European life and pensions provider, this focus is non-negotiable. Swiss Life operates in a high-stakes environment governed by complex regulations like Solvency II, interest rate volatility, and significant cybersecurity exposures tied to vast amounts of sensitive customer data. An award for 'Focus' suggests a deep investment in agile and evolving risk frameworks that can adapt to both market and regulatory shifts in real time.

The 'Community' award was presented to Ireland's State Claims Agency (SCA), part of the National Treasury Management Agency. The SCA’s mandate is to manage claims against the State and provide risk management advice to government bodies. This award highlights a different but equally critical aspect of modern risk management: collaboration. The SCA's success depends on its ability to foster a risk-aware culture across disparate public entities, using data from incidents and claims to identify trends and drive preventative strategies. Their work exemplifies how a centralized, collaborative approach can reduce liability and protect public resources on a national scale.

Other winners included Pinnacle Pet Group, which received the 'Spark' award for energizing and inspiring others, while package holiday operator Jet2holidays was welcomed as a significant new customer, signaling its own strategic investment in bolstering its risk management capabilities.

A Pulse Check on the Integrated Risk Market

The awards and the discussions at Konnect Fest reflect a profound shift occurring across the IRM landscape. The market, projected to grow from approximately $15.7 billion in 2026 to nearly $20 billion by 2030, is being reshaped by necessity. Organizations are abandoning fragmented, siloed approaches in favor of unified platforms that provide a single, comprehensive view of risk.

Today's most pressing challenges demand this integrated perspective. Cyber risk is no longer just an IT problem; it is a strategic business threat with the potential to trigger regulatory fines, supply chain collapses, and reputational ruin. Supply chain attacks alone nearly doubled between 2024 and 2025, with costs soaring into the tens of billions globally. Simultaneously, the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence introduces a new duality: AI is becoming a powerful 'copilot' for risk professionals, automating monitoring and enabling predictive analysis, but it also presents novel risks, from 'shadow AI' usage by employees to AI-powered attacks like deepfakes and automated hacking agents.

Furthermore, regulatory pressure continues to mount. Directives like Europe’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) are forcing organizations to take a more structured and transparent approach to managing ESG and digital risks. This environment is driving the trend toward integrated platforms where operational, financial, cyber, and compliance risks can be managed in a connected, holistic manner, moving the function from retrospective reporting to continuous, forward-looking risk orchestration.

The Power of the Ecosystem: Partnerships in Resilience

Perhaps one of the most significant trends highlighted at the event was the growing importance of the technology ecosystem. In a telling move, Riskonnect honored not only its customers but also a key channel partner, AlertMedia, for its commitment to shared success. This recognition underscores a critical reality: no single platform can do everything. True organizational resilience is increasingly built on a foundation of strategic, integrated partnerships.

AlertMedia is a leading provider of emergency communication and threat intelligence solutions. Its integration with a platform like Riskonnect's creates a powerful synergy. When a crisis hits—be it a natural disaster, a cyberattack, or a supply chain failure—organizations can manage their business continuity and incident response plans within Riskonnect while seamlessly deploying emergency notifications through AlertMedia's multichannel system. This direct link eliminates dangerous delays and communication silos, ensuring that the right information gets to the right people at the right time.

This partnership model is a blueprint for the future of the industry. By connecting best-in-class capabilities for risk identification, business continuity planning, and emergency response, companies can build a resilience network that is far more robust than the sum of its parts. It allows organizations to standardize their response protocols and accelerate decision-making when every second counts, ultimately protecting both people and business operations more effectively.

As Konnect Fest 2026 concluded, the message was clear. The companies thriving in this volatile landscape are not just buying software; they are fostering a culture of risk awareness, embracing integrated strategies, and leveraging collaborative ecosystems. The awards celebrated the achievements of a few, but they illuminated a path forward for all organizations striving to build a more resilient future in a world of interconnected risk.