Effectively Managing Enterprise Risk for Board Members

John Brackett

National Leader for Risk Consulting, RSM

John has over 19 years of diversified experience and is a leader in the firm’s risk consulting practice. Prior to joining RSM, John worked in risk consulting for a Big Four firm, where he gained substantial experience in a wide range of financial, operational, compliance, and process efficiency audits. His experience with financial service companies include local and national banks. Examples of past accomplishments include:

• Served on the executive team providing internal audit outsourcing services to a $30+ billion bank. 
• Facilitated enterprise risk management (ERM) implementation for a multi-billion dollar bank including realignment of the internal audit department to enhance corporate governance initiatives.
• Directed an internal audit transformation project for a $10+ billion bank. Project included strategic planning, completion of an enterprise risk assessment, implementation of new audit methodology, and auditor training.
• Provided strategic guidance and training to various bank boards and audit committees.
• Directed lender advisory and due diligence reviews for third-party lenders and bank acquisitions.
• Served as engagement director for a $300+ million sub-prime lender.

John has developed and presented professional education at national and local conferences and additionally, John was quoted by a national magazine for an article on operational risk management published first quarter 2006, and has written white papers for RSM on corporate governance strategy and ERM. John is currently on the IIA’s Board of Research and Educational Advisors and the Business Advisory Board for the Earl N. Phillips School of Business at High Point University.

Hussain Hasan

National Leader for Technology Risk Consulting, RSM

Hussain currently serves as the risk consulting leader for the Great Lakes Region and sits on RSM’s consulting leadership team. He was elected to RSM’s Board of Directors in 2012 and in that capacity has served on various committees including the governance committee, risk oversight committee, partner matters committee and acquisitions committee.

He is also a subject matter expert in enterprise risk management (ERM), global strategy, strategic planning internal audit and information technology (IT) security and brings that perspective to the client management and the boardroom for a deeper and healthier discussion. Hussain has 25 years of experience in various industries where he has helped his clients from strategic, operational and risk management perspectives.

Hussain has been quoted extensively on risk management and technology issues in leading business publications such as CFO magazine, WebCPA, Compliance Week and American Executive.

Hussain’s representative experience includes the following:

• ERM, internal audit and SOX. He was a key player in the development of the firm’s ERM, SOX and internal audit methodologies, including the detailed internal IT audit methodology for general computer controls and automated application controls. These methodologies are based on COSO and COBIT standards and are an integral part of the delivery of our risk consulting services. The methodology bridges the critical gap between the financial and the information technology sides to ensure key areas and controls are evaluated. He has also managed and contributed to several projects from an external audit and client readiness perspective. Industries served include, financial services, manufacturing, health care, nonprofit and higher education.
• Strategic planning. He has managed and performed numerous strategic planning projects involving a variety of industries and operating environments. These projects include all aspects of operations and technology in business. Projects in various industries cover understanding of operations and technology in business processes, systems and product development and documentation, hardware and systems issues, human resource issues, physical security, and application and processing issues.
• Information technology security and risk assessment. His skills include analyzing client information technology security systems, evaluating established corporate security controls and procedures, analyzing the accuracy and adequacy of data and intellectual property security processes and procedures, substantiating and documenting discovered security control weaknesses, and formulating and presenting recommendations for improvement to management. 

Hussain’s experience in this area includes analysis and reviews of the following:

• Data and intellectual property security and integrity
• Security operations
• Corporate security policies and procedures
• Telecommunications security
• Business continuity/disaster recovery planning
• Physical security analysis
• Intrusion and penetration testing

Nicole Sandford

Executive Vice President & Global Board Services Leader, Ellig Group

Nicole Sandford is the leader of Ellig Group’s Board Advisory Services. In addition to leading Ellig’s board of director placements, Nicole’s board advisory work focuses on developing practical improvements to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of governance processes. Nicole engages boards and CEOs around the most strategic elements of governance, including value-driven director and CEO succession planning and ongoing board skill development and education. 

Nicole joins Ellig Group after nearly three decades at Deloitte where she was appointed to roles of increasing responsibility, ultimately leading the firm’s regulatory and operational risk practice during a period of strategic transformation. Nicole’s client work at Deloitte focused on governance, crisis response and regulatory risk management across sectors with a focus on regulatory remediation in the banking sector. She has helped dozens of public and private companies – including several of the largest global banks – transform governance, risk and compliance programs. She also served as the audit partner for a number of highly-complex public companies.

Nicole was the founding member of the Deloitte Center for Corporate Governance. She also created the firm’s board diversity initiative, hosting the signature Diversifying the American Board events for over a decade. She is a frequent writer and speaker on corporate governance, appearing at board programs for the University of Delaware, Yale, Columbia, Stanford, Rice, NACD, Financial Women’s Association, IIA, the Society of Corporate Governance and many others. She was named a Rising Star by the Millstein Center at Yale and also received the World of Difference award from The International Alliance for Women.

Nicole has extensive board experience including her current roles as Chairman-elect of Girl Scouts of Connecticut and director of the Stamford Public Education Foundation. She is an Emeritus Member of the Advisory Board of the John L. Weinberg Center for Corporate Governance at the University of Delaware. She previously served as the audit committee chair and member of the CEO selection committee for both the Society for Corporate Governance and The Global Partnership for Afghanistan. She was also the chair of the Corporate Governance Committee of the Financial Women’s Association (FWA).

Nicole is passionate about helping people with cancer as a volunteer driver for the American Cancer Society and the patient advocate on the Greenwich Hospital Breast Center Leadership Committee. She lives in Connecticut with her husband and three children.

Sheila Talton

CEO and President, Gray Matters Analytics

Sheila Talton is an Innovative business and market builder with a solid track record fueled by expertise as a multi-faceted technology leader, "Big Data" strategist/business manager and specialist in emerging markets and global partner networks. Ms. Talton's pedigree includes significant tenures at many organizations that have pioneered the current technology environment (Cisco Systems, EDS, Ernst & Young) as well as founding a consultancy that was an early leader in communications network integration. Built significant businesses both within large enterprises and as independent start ups, as well as new markets for companies moving into emerging countries.

Ms. Talton brings distinctive grounding in a range of technologies required to understand and fully exploit the uses of Big Data/cloud computing and SaaS services in multiple vertical markets. Her technology experiences includes technology infrastructures, Big Data, data warehouse, data architecture, application software, knowledge management, networking and professional services .

Career milestones: Built Advisory Services Consulting Practice for Cisco Systems into a global, profitable organization. First Cisco executive to build Cisco's China, Brazilian and Mexico's globalization strategy, including private/public partnerships with the Chinese, Brazilian and Mexican governments. Created a 6 billion Solutions Consulting practice for EDS. Identified as a pioneer in the network integration consulting business as CEO of Unisource Systems.

Specialties: Big Data/data analytics Strategists and General Manager. Public/Private Partnerships in emerging markets, building services around product portfolios to extend product life cycles and protect profit margins and corporate governance. 

April Hall

Managing Editor, Directors & Boards and Private Company Director magazines

April Hall is digital director for MLR Media and managing editor of Directors & Boards and Private Company Director. She is an award-winning journalist with more than 20 years of experience with daily newspapers, magazines and radio.