The Energy & Resources industry is very resource-intensive and the companies who manage them are frequently confronted with compliance issues, safety and environmental threats and old assets, maintenance issues and budgetary constraints. Each of these aspects could have a significant impact on the external, operational and strategic viability of an organization.
A comprehensive risk management approach is vital to safeguard against these threats and ensure that a business can continue to meet the demands of its customers. This article highlights key areas of asset and risk management:
Counterparty risk management is focused on ensuring that the relationships with key players (such as prime brokers, derivative counterparties, clearing banks and custodians) are creditworthy, and it involves implementing failsafe procedures that protect against reputational and financial damage caused by the insolvency of those partners. This is done by vetting suppliers and ensuring that the approval process extends not only to the vendor but also to the specific service they provide.
Market risk could be the reason for a decline in value of the portfolio, and it is a problem that asset managers as well as risk managers are concerned with, but from slightly different perspectives. Portfolio managers manage their exposure to markets to limit unintentional bets on markets and factors while risk management concentrates on managing crowded trades, liquidity, leverage, volatility and cash flow.
A solid asset and risk management plan is crucial to avoid unexpected issues and maximizing the value of an organization’s assets. The three-line governance framework is a useful tool to identify and reduce the risks that can affect an organization’s performance.