Can Bank Directors Really Govern Risk?

The prudential bank regulators have clear expectations for boards of directors when it comes to risk governance. “I think they want to see independence,” says Gary Bronstein, a partner and leader of the financial services team at Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton. “I think they want to make sure that the board is free and independent of management and is assessing risk, and will ask the hard questions and will disagree with management when appropriate.” Bronstein says the board's role includes working with the management team to set the bank's risk appetite, and then following through to make sure the team's plans and initiatives are consistent with the risk profile that has been established.