Risky business in controllership

A blog post by Katie Glynn, Charles Carrington, Torchy Adams and Rebecca Allen

In today’s fast-changing marketplace, uncertainty is a constant. Controllers and finance leaders need to navigate not only volatile markets and evolving regulations, but also technology disruption and workforce transformation. Against this backdrop, the controllership function is no longer just about reporting numbers—it’s about steering the business with agility, foresight, and confidence in its value.

A key challenge: How can controllers manage risk while enabling growth and innovation even amid uncertainty? The answer lies in adopting a risk management framework that is always-on, proactive, and value-driven.

Thriving in a VUCA world

We live in what the US Army War College once described as a VUCA world—volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous. For controllers, this translates into an expanded set of roles and responsibilities:

• Catalyst – Driving organizational transformation and efficiency
• Steward – Safeguarding assets and ensuring compliance
• Operator – Running core finance processes with accuracy and timeliness
• Strategist – Delivering insights that shape the company’s direction

To meet these demands of the four faces of controllers, the function needs to move beyond periodic reporting cycles. It should look to enable real-time visibility into risks and opportunities—producing financial and nonfinancial data that’s not only reliable but also actionable.

Something to consider: Many controllers are starting with data readiness assessments to identify where data gaps, latency, or inaccuracies exist. Closing these gaps through technology enablement, governance, and centralized data can propel the function toward a Controllership in the Green.

A framework for modern risk management

To create a risk-ready controllership function, finance leaders can structure their approach around four actions:

1. Monitor – Continuously assess risks inside and outside the organization. For example, tracking supply chain disruptions, inflation trends, and regulatory proposals.
2. Implement – Put controls, policies, and processes in place to address and mitigate identified risks.
3. Maintain – Test and refine these controls regularly to ensure they remain effective.
4. Optimize – Enhance capabilities by investing in automation, technology, data quality, and workforce upskilling.

This framework rests on strong foundations: governance, compliance playbooks, change management, and clear communication across the enterprise.

The value drivers of this approach lie in:

• Controls and process enhancements to strengthen compliance and resilience.
• Data management for timely, high-quality insights.
• Technology enablement to automate and accelerate processes.
• Resourcing and talent to build adaptable, future-ready teams.
• Analytics to move from reactive reporting to predictive intelligence.

Something to consider: Develop a risk dashboard that aggregates key indicators and data—from compliance metrics to market signals—into a single view or common information model for decision-makers.

Moving to an always-on mindset

Traditional risk management often operates on a “rearview mirror” approach—analyzing historical performance. But today’s pace of change requires controllers to keep their headlights on as well. Think of a two-way view:

• Rearview mirror: Historical data (sales, transaction volumes, macroeconomic metrics) tells you “what happened.”
• Headlights: Predictive indicators (customer purchase intent, social sentiment, capital market signals) shed light on “what may happen next, and why.”

An always-on approach combines both. Controllers can deliver a balanced view by integrating real-time monitoring with predictive analytics.

Something to consider: Set up automated alerts for leading indicators such as commodity price movements, customer signals, or regulatory updates that can act as early-warning systems that allow for interventions before risks escalate.

Building for the future today

As the scope of controllership expands, finance leaders have an opportunity to turn risk management into a differentiator. A well-designed framework not only protects value but also creates it by empowering leadership with insights that inform smarter, faster decisions.

Controllers who embrace this evolution can:

• Build trust with stakeholders through reliable, timely insights.
• Enable agility by sensing and responding to risks in real time.
• Drive strategic value by pairing compliance with innovation.

In a VUCA world, risk is unavoidable—but it’s also manageable. The controllers who adopt an always-on, proactive approach to risk management may be better positioned to transform uncertainty into a source of resilience and advantage for their organizations.

To hear additional insights into risk management for today’s marketplace, including current tariff implications and considerations, listen to our Dbriefs webcast: Risky business: A controllership framework for risk management