Look Back | Insurance Risk Management Forum

“The content was great and I really appreciated the time allotted to speak with insurance partners.”

“Those [sessions] that were focused on a specific topic, such as wildfire, AI and credit insurance, were excellent ... Overall, I had a great experience and learned a lot.”

“This was my first time attending ABA [IRM Forum] ... I loved the format of the meetings and that certain presentations were able to be downloaded. It makes it easier to share the knowledge with colleagues.”

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IRM Forum 2025 - In Review

The 2025 Insurance Risk Management Forum had record-breaking attendance, with risk managers convening in San Diego to explore how to protect their banks against critical risks in AI and emerging technology, climate change, cybersecurity, the regulatory environment and more.

IRM Forum brings back attendees year after year, and 2025 was no exception – repeat attendees made up over 70% of our event this year, but we also welcomed a host of new faces from a range of bank asset sizes and experience levels.

Everyone left with the tools to build a comprehensive plan to ensure their bank is covered against major risk types, as well as expert solutions for consideration to implement such a broad strategy.

Snapshot

• Top Value: For risk managers, the most valuable aspects of IRM Forum were the industry experts, networking opportunities, and ability to meet with corporate partners. 
• Woodward on Washington: Jesse Sugarman took the reins on the much-anticipated follow-up to Joan Woodward’s presentation in 2024, exploring how this year’s political and economic shifts will shape the regulatory and customer challenges that banks will need to tackle. 
• Cyber Threats at Your Bank’s Digital Doorstep: Fraud and scams are a multi-hundred-billion dollar problem, but despite banks doing far more for fraud and scams than any other industry, they can’t win this fight alone. Organizations need a comprehensive approach to cybersecurity, and ABA’s Paul Benda laid out the ways banks can customize their approach and seek the critical support they need to protect their institutions.
• AI and Quantum Make a Threatening Combination: AI is predicted to be more intelligent than our smartest humans as soon as 2026, and the advent of quantum computing will only accelerate the sophistication of a multitude of threats to banks (think: cracking our highest level of encryption in just a day). WTW’s John Bremen predicted the future facing banks, and outlined how understanding innovations around the corner is key to creating the strategy your bank needs to stay safe.

View our 2025 program for a full breakdown of this year’s critical content.

Resources for Risk Managers

Looking for more resources to manage risk? ABA has you covered. Check out related resources and programming to help you protect your bank. 

• Risk and Compliance Conference
  Connect the dots across all categories of critical risk and discover the leading tactics and solutions to address your bank’s challenges.
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• Understanding Directors and Officers (D&O) Insurance
  Unlock the essentials of Directors and Officers Insurance with ABA’s brand-new short, engaging online video training.
  Enroll your Bank Directors today
• Certified Enterprise Risk Management Professional
  Boost your career with the Certified Enterprise Risk Professional certification. Earn the recognition you deserve for your comprehensive understanding of enterprise risk management.
  Don't miss the April 2 deadline for the June exam