It is important to have technical development – protocols, management structures, support technology, etc, but just as important are the cultural issues – openness to discussion, sensitivity to the external environment, agility and rapidity in decision-making, and above all, leadership. Leadership is critical at every level of operations, but in terms of enterprise risk management, particularly at the C-Suite strategic leadership level.

For an organisation to be truly resilient, the single most critical issue is to be a learning organisation. Without the ability (and willingness) to learn – and to have that embedded as an intrinsic value – then almost nothing else will have a long term and sustainable impact.

None of the above needs additional control rooms, satellite systems or high-level technological upgrades. They are cultural issues. The question is not ‘What do we need to do?’. The correct question is ‘What sort of organisation do we think we need to become?’.