One of the most visible risks facing corporations today is cybersecurity, but there are many others — and some that are just starting to emerge. To find out more about what is keeping the C-Suite up at night and how businesses can better prepare for risk, I checked in with Peter Zaffino, President and CEO of Marsh and chairman of the Risk amp; Insurance Services segment of Marsh amp; McLennan Companies. He leads the firm’s teams that provide risk advice and capital solutions to companies in more than 130 countries.

Robert Reiss: Risk seems to be in the news more than ever before, and it appears to be increasing globally. What are some of the top risks that businesses are concerned about today?

Peter Zaffino: The business world is in a constant state of flux, driven by economic, environmental, technological, geopolitical and societal forces. Businesses today are concerned with how these dynamics affect the security of their employees, their property, their products and their technology systems. Although risks vary in scope, form, and size a few common categories emerge across all businesses: (1) cyber risk, driven by increased global reliance on technology against a background where cyber attacks are on the rise; (2) environmental / natural catastrophe risks, with the advent of unprecedented numbers of extreme weather events, changes in global weather patterns and the environmental impact of global energy production and use; and (3) political risks, given the consistent rise in geopolitical tensions and political violence. Businesses that proactively face these risks have the best chance of mitigating their impact.

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