Description: Arguably, many of the fundamental contributing factors to the 2008 mortgage crisis involved misdirected incentives and misinformation available to key participants in the housing finance process. The incentives discussed here include those of the mortgage holders, mortgage intermediaries, mortgage providers, securitizers, raters and CEOs and other highly paid staff of those involved. Unless similar incentives are recognized, future public policy decisions will again fail to avoid this system-wide risk. Since I am most familiar with the U.S. situation, my comments will be limited accordingly.

Description: The present crisis in global financial markets has created an impression that enterprise risk management ERM has failed broadly to protect the safety and soundness of the financial system as well as that of many institutions, including insurance companies.

Description: This article discusses key considerations to build an incentive compensation program.

Description: There is a tendency for people not to question favorable information and assumptions, especially when bonuses and performance reviews are based on these positive results. This paper reviews this tendency and suggests protocols for mitigating it. Part of the essay collection "Risk Metrics for Decision Making and ORSA"

Description: Response to Life Insurance 2020 Foresight – A Call for Essays. An essay stating the author’s vision for the future of the life insurance sector.

Description: Compares techniques used by the allies to win WWII e.g., transparency, collaboration, and breaking down silos to how to avert financial crises. Also compares a high-involvement ERM & business intelligence 'BI' technique to a control ERM & BI.

Description: This article discusses a good way for insurance companies to calibrate economic capital (tail risk level) that is consistent with the market opinion on its risk. It also establishes a bridge between a risk neutral evaluation and a real world evaluation.

Description: As one highly rated financial firm after another blows up, what is the right conclusion to draw about enterprise risk management ERM? Does the financial crisis of 2008-09 demonstrate its criticality, or does it bring the whole concept into disrepute?

Description: This essay argues against the securitization of residential mortgages. The originating lending institution should have significant skin in the game when it makes a loan, but the securitization process removes this important financial control.

Description: Reminding that incentive compensation needs to hit the target on average, needs to have variability related to the level of control over company’s fortune and ensure people are participating.