Jeff Dato is the head of regional risk and reputation (Americas) for InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG). Dato has been an active member in the business continuity industry for nearly three decades. He has authored numerous articles, is a mentor, and is highly sought after for his views on both the current state and future state of the BCM industry.
Atabaigi: What are some of the significant events or milestones you believe have defined the BCM industry?
Dato: In the mid-1980’s, Bank Circular 177, a banking regulation mandated by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), was the first time nationally-chartered banks were required to address data center technical recovery. It was then amended, over time, to include many aspects of business recovery/resumption planning. Globally, the Turnbull Guidelines were establishing similar guidelines for Europe, requiring all publicly-listed entities to develop enterprise-wide contingency planning programs. Keep in mind that, back then, prior to these regulations, our industry was all IT/DR – these charged businesses to think beyond the data center and focus on a wider-berth of managing operational risk, through contingency planning, across the enterprise. Over time, the industry we now know as business continuity management was born. In my mind, that was a defining moment.
Y2K was another milestone in two ways: it was a business issue and required businesses to review their supply chain continuity on a global basis. It was also unique in that the whole world was focused on it. For the first time, on a global scale, businesses were looking at their business partners holistically for the full core end-to-end supply chain.
The dot com of the early 2000s was another milestone event in that it ushered high availability and the next level … business resilience. In that same timeframe was 9/11 and the push for public/private partnerships for a more resilient program. Which made sense to plan and understand the roles and responsibilities for both business and responding agencies. Mega milestones.
In addition to these milestones, you also had the globalization of business, Al Gore inventing the Internet (joke), and the concept of cloud. Time and these events have changed the way we look at the solutions.
Atabaigi: From your experience, what are some key internal and external collaborations an organization needs to have established and maintained?
Dato: Foremost, it is the business owners and technology, the heart beat and veins that keep us all connected. The business drives the need and the risks and what to do and what not to do. Everything is based on the business. Internally, the whole team supports the business (IT, procurement, internal audit, risk management, HR, safety and security, corporate real estate, legal, transportation, corporate communications, record retention, etc. Externally, organizations rely upon the customers, suppliers, regulators, business partners, insurers, supply chain, government, first responders … just to name a few.
Atabaigi: What are some of the current trends you are observing in the BCM industry?
Dato:
- From a technology standpoint, cloud computing technology continues to evolve and again acceptance.
- Supply chain – organizations are holding their business partners and suppliers accountable.
- There is a closer alignment with risk management and information security. It is coming together.
- Incident response – I have observed a lot more cohesion and collaboration than in the past.
- Cyber – continues its emergence as well as its intense mix with IT, the business, and potential regulations.
- Corporate governance – many organizations use ISO as their global standard.
- More and more companies, outside of financial institutions, have been developing mature BCM programs.
Atabaigi: For new professionals choosing the BCM field, what advice would you provide for a solid career foundation? Any pitfalls to avoid?
Dato: Here are few key points to share:
- Collaboration is your friend – keep an open-mind.
- Remember that it is not your decision … it is a business decision as to risk appetite. We are here to provide guidance and advice on recommendations, but it is up to the business how far to go.
- You should not take it personally if an idea or solution you proposed is not chosen.
- Get to know the business; read your annual report. Talk in business language … not BCM.
- Find a business champion. Get a quick win and secure a sponsor.
- Make sure you have the fundamentals: Attend conferences, sign-up for periodicals, get certified!
Atabaigi: Looking into the crystal ball for the next five years, what significant changes do you believe might impact our industry?
Dato: All boards are looking at cyber, security, and data privacy. While it may not be a BCM event, BCM does involve incident response and crisis management and in the end affects reputation. It will get worse before it gets better.
Social media – Millineials are forcing businesses to become more real time. They like the person to person, but have a different mindset. They don’t trust big companies and there is going to be a need for businesses to develop trust capital with the millineials.
The aging factor – Organizations are experiencing a large component of their experienced workforce is retiring. That will have a huge affected on how businesses operate, their culture, and planning for continuous operations.
The cloud solution and how it continues to evolve will change how we recover as well as increase the risk as everything is out there. Businesses must do their due diligence.
The world is not flat. Geopolitics will continue to evolve and change. Businesses today have worldwide supply chains. The world is a tumultuous place and there are players who are hell-bent on disruptions.
And finally the proliferation of technology. There are disruptors. These are businesses that are changing how business is done. Examples: Uber/transportation, AirBnB for lodging, etc. They are disrupting the traditional business models and forcing business to rethink their business models in how fluid they are and how they operate. It may impact BCM as well. How do we recover a more agile business?
Robbie Atabaigi, MBCI, MBCP, CISA, is a member of KPMG LLP’s Southeast Information Protection and Business Resiliency practice in Atlanta. She has more than 29 years of experience in developing and evaluating many aspects of enterprise risk management including emergency preparedness and response, crisis management, disaster recovery, and business continuity for prominent international companies. Atabaigi is a member of the DRJ Editorial Advisory Board and is a member of the Community Emergency Response Team in Cobb County, Georgia.
