Career Spotlight: Irene Chukwuma

Tell us about yourself – your name, company, title, and responsibilities?

My name is Irene Chukwuma, and I’m a business resilience, risk, and IT quality assurance professional with more than a decade of experience across business continuity, enterprise risk, operational risk, and information security.

I currently work with LTM (formerly LTIMindtree), supporting Bank of America, with a focus on risk and quality assurance for capacity management. In this role, I review capacity management controls and processes, assess quality and risk considerations, and partner with teams to support business resiliency, strong governance, timely execution, and operational stability across technology environments.

I have worked across global financial services, where I’ve supported resilience programs, led control reviews, and worked closely with teams to strengthen how organizations prepare for and respond to disruption.

Alongside my professional work, I am also an author and speaker, writing and speaking about resilience, not just as a framework, but as something we experience in real time, especially during periods of transition.

How did you get into the business resilience industry?

I started my earlier career in banking operations and transitioned into operational risk, where I was exposed to different aspects of control environments, business continuity, incident management, crisis management, and operations.

As part of the operational risk team, a senior colleague recognized my strengths and began giving me increased exposure and responsibility in business continuity management, which at the time sat within the operational risk function. This gave me direct insight into how resilience is built and managed in practice.

Over time, I began to see that resilience sits at the intersection of all these areas. It’s not just about having plans in place, but about how well an organization can continue to operate when those plans are tested.

That experience ultimately developed my passion for resilience and continuity and shaped the direction of my career.

Tell us about some of the challenges you have encountered in your career?

One of the key challenges I’ve encountered in my career has been working in environments where business continuity is not always prioritized, particularly within lean teams balancing multiple demands.

In those situations, a large part of the work goes beyond frameworks and documentation. It involves helping stakeholders understand the value of resilience and why business continuity is not just a compliance requirement, but a critical component of protecting the organization.

I’ve also had to navigate the perception of nonconformities, shifting the narrative from viewing them as escalations to recognizing them as opportunities to strengthen controls and improve overall resilience.

These experiences have strengthened my ability to influence, communicate risk effectively, and position resilience as a business priority.

Have you had any mentors? Describe the effect they have had on your career.

Yes, mentorship has played an important role in my career.

Early on, I had a senior colleague who recognized my strengths in operational risk and gave me increased exposure and responsibility in business continuity management. That experience not only expanded my technical knowledge, but also shaped how I think about resilience in practice. It also provided me with the opportunity to have a trusted sounding board to discuss ideas and navigate different aspects of resilience.

She has continued to be a mentor to me for over a decade and is currently a director of enterprise resilience at Thomson Reuters. She consistently keeps me informed on evolving industry standards and best practices.

Beyond work, her mentorship has also influenced how I think about growth, discipline, and navigating different stages of my career.

It has also shaped how I approach others, and I try to carry that forward by mentoring others and creating opportunities for growth within my own circles.

What are some lessons learned you still leverage today?

One of the key lessons I’ve learned is that resilience is not built during a disruption, it is revealed during one. The effectiveness of any response is often determined by the work done beforehand, including planning, testing, and clear alignment across teams.

Another lesson I continue to leverage is the importance of being clear about direction. Whether in risk management or career decisions, direction matters more than volume. Taking the time to understand the “why” behind actions leads to more meaningful and sustainable outcomes.

I’ve also learned communication is just as important as technical knowledge. The ability to clearly communicate requirements, standards, risks, and best practices, while influencing decisions and bringing stakeholders along, is critical to ensuring resilience efforts are understood and effectively implemented.

What aspects of working in this industry would you like to see change or evolve?

One area I would like to see continue to evolve is how business continuity and resilience are positioned within organizations.

In many cases, these functions are still viewed primarily through a compliance lens. While compliance is important, there is an opportunity to further embed resilience as a business priority, one that directly supports operational stability, customer trust, and long-term performance.

I would also like to see greater integration across risk, technology, and business functions. Resilience is most effective when it is not siloed, but aligned across the organization.

As the industry continues to evolve, there is an opportunity to shift the conversation from simply meeting requirements to demonstrating value and impact.

What types of formal training and certifications have you pursued, and what kinds of learning and networking opportunities are you seeking to continue your professional development?

I have pursued formal training and certifications in business continuity and resilience, and I am a PECB-certified ISO 22301 Lead Implementer, first certified in 2016, with nearly a decade of experience applying these principles in practice. This has provided a strong foundation in building and managing resilience programs. I have also developed experience across risk management and information security frameworks through practical application in my work.

Beyond formal certifications, I place a strong emphasis on continuous learning by staying current with evolving industry standards and engaging in professional communities and knowledge-sharing opportunities with mentors and other professionals across the globe.

I am also actively involved in ISACA Atlanta SheLeadsTech initiative, where I am one of the founding members, serving as the marketing and communications lead, contributing to efforts focused on advancing women in technology and cybersecurity and helping to tell the stories of women in this space.

Going forward, I am interested in continuing to deepen my expertise, expand my network, and contribute more actively to industry conversations through collaboration, speaking, and thought leadership.

What gets you excited about your career?

What I am most excited about in my career is the impact.

Much of the work in risk and resilience happens behind the scenes, but it plays a critical role in how organizations operate during moments of uncertainty. Knowing that the work contributes to maintaining stability, protecting the organizations I serve and their customers, and supporting continuity when it matters most is something I find very meaningful.

I’m also passionate about the opportunity to continue growing in the field and contributing beyond my day-to-day work through writing, speaking, and sharing insights that help others navigate both their careers and the realities of this space.

What advice would you give to those embarking on a career in this industry?

My advice would be to take the time to understand how everything connects.

Business resilience sits at the intersection of risk, technology, operations, and people. The more you understand the bigger picture, the more effective you will be in your role.

I would also encourage people to be clear about their direction early on. It’s easy to focus on doing more, but growth comes from being clear about the kind of experience you build and how you position yourself over time.

Finally, don’t underestimate the importance of communication and kindness. Being able to clearly explain requirements, influence decisions, and work effectively with different stakeholders, while approaching people with respect and empathy, is just as important as technical knowledge in this field.