During the second anniversary of the Risk Governance Forum (RGF), the Mauritius Institute of Directors (MIoD), in collaboration with its Founder CIEL Group, held on Thursday, May 22, 2026, at the Labourdonnais Waterfront Hotel, a session entitled “Recalibrating Strategic Direction in Response to Global Shifts” to the intention of business leaders, board members, and risk management professionals.
Launched in May 2024, the RGF aims to anticipate major transformations redefining risk governance, whether it’s emerging technologies, geopolitical reconfigurations, climate transitions, or commercial uncertainties.
The event saw a presentation by the Vice-President and Chair of Strategy & Resilience, Sanjay Bhana, who intervened online on the theme, “When Predictions Fail: The Strategic Sense Making Imperative for Boards”. It was followed by a panic discussion where the Chief Executive Officer at MIoD and Chairperson of RGF Sheila Ujoodha commented: “We are evolving in a world where the rules of the game are constantly changing. What worked a few months ago may no longer be relevant today. The organizations that will thrive will be those that have developed the necessary agility to respond swiftly when conditions change.
The Risk Governance Forum creates precisely this space for dialogue: where boards of directors, executives, and risk management professionals confront their reflection with the experiences of others, navigating similar challenges. The objective is to collectively build the judgment, networks, and insights that make it possible to transform these complexities into competitive advantage. At the crossroads of corporate governance and strategic resilience, the MIoD catalyzes these conversations and encourages cross-sectoral collaboration to proactively address these challenges.”
While the Group Chief Executive at CIEL Group, Guillaume Dalais, underlined, “Companies evolve in an increasingly complex and interconnected environment. These challenges push us to strengthen our practices and move forward collectively with more agility, while creating new opportunities for transformation and growth. Through our commitment as a Founding Member of the Risk Governance Forum, we support a dialogue around risk governance in order to help companies transform this complexity into a lever for resilience, performance, and sustainable adaptation to future developments.”
On the other hand, Partner at EY Mauritius Roshni Beharry explained, “The rapidity and unpredictability tracking the evolution of geopolitical risks calls for a need to rethink deeply on the risk assessment and quantification frameworks. Traditional approaches are no longer enough: it is necessary to set up dynamic monitoring systems, develop stress test scenarios adapted to geopolitical shocks, and equip the boards of directors with processes allowing them to make informed decisions in the face of uncertainty.”
CEO at CIEL Textile, Eric Dorchies added, “In the textiles industry, waiting for things to change to react is a luxury that we can no longer afford. At CIEL Textile, we have learned that resilience comes above all through anticipation, which allows us to continuously evolve our model and position ourselves where our customers will need us tomorrow. Expectations are changing, markets are transforming, and it is precisely this ability to read these signals and adapt to them that defines companies that will last. The Risk Governance Forum is an opportunity to confront these reflections with other leaders who are navigating the same issues.”
The CEO at MCB Thierry Hebraud emphasised, “In an environment marked by increased volatility and sometimes contradictory signals, the ability to anticipate and act quickly makes all the difference. For MCB, this means constantly strengthening the link between risk management and strategy, and maintaining a high level of transparency and trust, especially as a player in an international financial centre like Mauritius. Risk governance should no longer be perceived as a constraint, but as an engine of decision-making and resilience. Exchange platforms such as the Risk Governance Forum are essential to structure this collective reflection and to bring out pragmatic answers adapted to a changing world.”
The Chairperson at Cim Finance Group and Independent Non-Executive Director, CIEL Group, Aisha Timol, told: “The boards of directors are in a period of transition. The traditional approach of boards must evolve. Quarterly meetings and the annual strategic session are no longer enough to appreciate all the current or upcoming changes that have a major impact on companies. Today, the collaboration between the board and the management must be continuous, with regular exchanges to pick up early signals and adjust quickly. One critical element is the quality of the information that goes back to the board, which must be reliable and verified, especially in a world where there is a constant evolution. Strategic issues must be on the agenda of both board meetings and governance committees. The RGF allows precisely to exchange on these evolutions of practices between directors and managers.”
