A Beacon in Risk Management

SASOL’s Alexandra Russell Clinches Top Honors at IRMSA Awards

SASOL’s Chief Risk Officer Alexandra Russell, has been recognised for her contributions to the field with the prestigious "Risk Manager of the Year" award at the Institute of Risk Management South Africa's (IRMSA) annual awards evening.

The event was a celebration of excellence in risk management and marked a significant milestone, as IRMSA commemorated two decades of leadership in the industry.

Russell's visionary approach to risk management Sasol, her commitment to cross-sector collaboration, and her ability to inspire resource optimisation and enhanced resilience make her an outstanding risk professional and an example to the rest of the profession.

In the citation accompanying her award, it was noted that her efforts in sharing Sasol's strategies for addressing various power outage scenarios have the potential to facilitate a collaborative effort among companies, crucial for bolstering resilience and resource utilization across South Africa.

Says Christopher Palm, Acting CEO of IRMSA: "Alexandra’s outstanding work and her dedication to cross-sector collaboration are a true embodiment of the spirit of risk management. Her achievements remind us of the immense impact that innovative and collaborative risk management practices can have on society and the economy."

Palm added, "This year's awards evening is not only a celebration of risk professionals’ achievements but also a commemoration of IRMSA's two decades of dedicated leadership in the risk management domain. We look forward to continuing our journey of shaping the future of risk management."

Russell says: "Sharing Sasol's strategies and fostering collaborative efforts among corporations are pivotal in strengthening resilience and resource optimisation throughout South Africa. My aim has always been to inspire a paradigm of proactive risk management that goes beyond mere anticipation but actively shapes our industry's future."

She adds that in the intricate socio-economic environment of South Africa, a collaborative approach to risk management is not just beneficial—it's now essential. “South Africa's challenges, which range from economic disparities, political complexities, and environmental vulnerabilities to infrastructural gaps, are multifaceted in nature. Tackling these issues in isolation can lead to fragmented solutions, potentially aggravating the systemic issues further. By adopting a collaborative stance, entities from diverse sectors—be it the government, private corporations, non-governmental organizations, or communities—can pool resources, knowledge, and strategies to develop more comprehensive, cohesive, and adaptive solutions. Such combined efforts help in creating a robust and resilient framework, leveraging shared experiences and insights to address risks more holistically.”