At the helm of the Institute of Risk Management South Africa (IRMSA), Yvonne Mothibi is more than a CEO; she’s a trailblazer redefining what it means to lead with integrity in a world of uncertainty. Fueled by a passion for empowering risk professionals and driving innovation, Yvonne sees risk not as a challenge but as an opportunity to build a more resilient and informed society. Her journey into the dynamic world of risk management was sparked by a deep appreciation for complexity, and today, she considers leading IRMSA not just a role but a true calling.
A Career Built on Governance, Grit, and Growth
Yvonne’s evolution as an astute risk management professional was shaped by a strong foundation in external auditing. She complemented her practical experience with postgraduate studies in risk management and a master’s degree in governance and leadership from Wits University, graduating cum laude.
Having acquired the advanced tools and perspectives to lead effectively at the intersection of risk, governance, and leadership, joining IRMSA was a natural progression. It gave her a platform to leverage her diverse experience, drive professional excellence, and shape the risk management profession in South Africa and beyond.
Starting as a risk manager, she established a risk management unit and developed robust risk management systems tailored to a challenging public sector context. This success became a benchmark for other municipalities and the broader public sector, and she was honoured with the Risk Manager of the Year Award by IRMSA in recognition of her work.
As Chief Risk Officer for a public entity focused on economic development and industrialization, she navigated risks related to export markets and large-scale industrial projects. These roles deepened her understanding of risk governance, strategic decision-making, and the critical role of risk in enabling sustainable growth.
Driving Resilient, Ethical, and Future-Ready Risk Governance
Yvonne sees her role as one of visionary stewardship and practical empowerment, setting a clear strategic direction that elevates risk governance from compliance to a core driver of organisational resilience, ethical leadership, and sustainable value creation.
As a catalyst for change, she advocates for adaptive, forward-looking governance frameworks integrated across all levels of decision-making. “In a world of increasing uncertainty and complexity, risk governance must evolve to anticipate emerging risks, harness innovation, and embed accountability at every level,” she insists.
As a connector and collaborator, Yvonne bridges diverse stakeholders from regulators, boards, and executives to practitioners and communities to build a shared understanding and culture of risk awareness, strengthen South Africa’s risk governance landscape, and influence best practices beyond borders.
Yvonne is a champion of capacity building and professional excellence, investing in education, certification, and continuous development to equip risk governance leaders with the knowledge, tools, and ethical compass to navigate complex challenges responsibly and effectively. She believes in shaping a future where risk governance is not just about avoiding failure but enabling organisations and societies to thrive sustainably amidst uncertainty.
“The very essence of leadership is that you have to have vision. You can’t blow an uncertain trumpet.” – Theodore M. Hesburgh.
Leading with Integrity, Accountability, and Empowerment
On her journey to authentic, effective, and ethical leadership, Yvonne was guided by a core set of personal values that shaped her leadership philosophy – integrity, accountability, empowerment, collaboration, and respect. Integrity, even when it is difficult, builds trust with teams, stakeholders, and the community, giving her peace of mind. Taking full responsibility ensures that she continuously learns and improves.
Empowerment for oneself and others creates stronger, more resilient teams, sustainable organisations, provides support, development opportunities, and a platform for diverse voices to be heard. As the saying goes, “You can’t pour from an empty cup.” The best decisions come from inclusive, open dialogue and mutual respect, making collaboration and respect fundamental values while discerning between good and bad faith to eliminate ulterior motives.
Deeply committed to servant leadership, these values help Yvonne serve the greater good, advancing risk management for a resilient, sustainable future.
“Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.” -Mother Teresa
Balancing Purpose and Pressure
For Yvonne, balance means being clear on what matters most in each season and being present in those moments. It’s a continuous challenge that requires conscious discipline, since her role demands high energy, long hours, and the ability to make impactful decisions. Her strong sense of purpose and contribution to building a more resilient, risk-aware, and sustainable future keep her grounded.
When the lines between personal life and professional ambition blur, determination fuels her ability to press on by setting boundaries, delegating with trust, and knowing when to pause and reset to finish what she starts. Her purpose, empowering risk professionals, influencing national policy, and mentoring future leaders, fuels her resilience, giving meaning to the pressure.
Yvonne credits her supportive relationships and team, including the brilliant IRMSA team, with helping her lead with clarity, focus, and heart. “Maintaining balance and purpose is about intentional prioritisation. That’s what I aim to model within IRMSA’s culture as well,” she states.
“Of all the things I’ve done, the most vital is coordinating those who work with me and aiming their efforts at a certain goal.” – Walt Disney.
Leading Through Resistance with Courage and Clarity
Yvonne recalls two career events that tested her resilience, shaped her leadership, and deepened her resolve. The first was being tasked with establishing a risk management unit in a complex municipal environment.
Despite significant resistance, limited resources, and a lack of executive support, she overcame this “trial by fire” with a strong sense of purpose and the ability to take people with her, “one conversation, one system, one small win at a time.” The unit became a benchmark, and Yvonne was named Risk Manager of the Year, but what stayed with her was the internal growth: the patience, clarity, and resilience required to lead meaningful change.
The second was in her role as CEO of IRMSA, when she faced firm resistance and scrutiny while making changes aimed at strengthening the institute’s long-term sustainability and relevance. By staying anchored in purpose, navigating discomfort with composure, and leading with resilience and integrity, she did what was necessary to future-proof the institute and elevate the profession.
Yvonne learned that resilience is not just about surviving difficulty but holding onto your purpose in the midst of it, adapting when needed, and staying anchored in what truly matters. “As a leader, that mindset has become core to how I navigate challenges and lead change with courage and compassion,” she shares.
“You have enemies? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life.” – Winston Churchill.
Elevating IRMSA’s Impact Across Africa and Beyond
Among several initiatives Yvonne led at IRMSA, a standout achievement was creating the Technical Library, now a central hub for strategy, risk, and resilience knowledge. It offers timely, expert-led insights, practical tools, case studies and has become a leading repository of thought leadership, enabling the publication of over 400 articles and more than 300 thought leadership pieces.
The development of IRMSA’s Competency Framework, aligned to training and certification programmes, also introduced structured, chronological learning pathways for risk professionals, ensuring consistent, measurable professional development aligned with global standards and industry needs. The IRMSA Youth Desk initiative is helping students learn about risk management and influencing academic curricula to bridge the gap between theoretical learning and industry expectations.
Yvonne has been instrumental in expanding IRMSA’s presence across Africa, with 18 country representations and IRMSA Chapters equipped with local governance structures for consistency and regional responsiveness. This positioned IRMSA as a pan-African authority in risk management.
As Secretary General of FARMA (the Federation of African Risk Management Associations), Yvonne helped transition FARMA from a concept to a formal, constituted body representing risk professionals across Africa, with the guidance and leadership of the IRMSA President, Bheki Gutshwa, and support of colleagues from other Risk Associations in Africa (CRMI and RIMRAE). This created collaboration, shared learning, and a united African voice in risk management.
Being elected Secretary General of IFRIMA (International Federation of Risk and Insurance Management Associations) was a defining moment, not just for Yvonne, but for IRMSA and Africa. It elevated their visibility and influence globally, ensuring that African perspectives are heard, valued, and positioned equally alongside their international counterparts.
The common thread through all these initiatives was strategic foresight, governance integrity, and commitment to transformation. Leading through the challenges, resistance, and tough conversations, Yvonne remained anchored in the belief that these reforms were necessary, future-focused, and in service of their broader mission. “Seeing the progress, recognition, and global partnerships that have followed affirms that we are moving in the right direction, and I’m eternally honoured to be part of that journey,” she affirms.
From Compliance to Strategic Compass
Yvonne sees risk management in Africa not just as a compliance-driven function, but strategic enabler of growth, innovation, and resilience. Risk cannot be managed in isolation, but must be embedded into strategic decision-making, operational planning, and long-term value creation.
Risk professionals are not just gatekeepers, but critical advisors to boards, executives, and policymakers, with the focus shifting from reactive risk mitigation to proactive opportunity management, scenario thinking, and resilience building.
As businesses and governments aim to be more future-fit, this has increased the demand for integrated risk governance. IRMSA’s work across Africa is focused on equipping professionals to lead this transformation in a context-specific way. Yvonne believes that the ability to manage risk strategically will determine which organisations thrive in this era of disruption.
“That’s why I believe the future of risk management in Africa lies in building adaptive, ethically grounded, and innovation-driven practices that go beyond box-ticking and actively contribute to societal and economic resilience,” she explains. “In short, risk management is evolving from being a ‘cost centre’ to becoming a strategic compass, and Africa is uniquely positioned to lead this evolution, with the right leadership, collaboration, and professional development in place.”
“The task of the leader is to get his people from where they are to where they have not been.” – Henry Kissinger.
Own Your Voice, Lead with Integrity, and Rise with Purpose
Yvonne believes that Africa – and the world – needs more bold, ethical, and forward-thinking leaders in risk and governance, and many of them will be young women rising today. Her sage advice to young professionals, especially young women, is this: you belong in the room. Governance and risk are not just technical disciplines, but leadership functions that require courage, critical thinking, emotional intelligence, and integrity – qualities many women naturally embody.
First, be intentional about developing your voice, your expertise, and your confidence. Invest in yourself relentlessly. Seek out learning opportunities and build your knowledge of how governance and risk intersect with strategy, sustainability, and value creation. IRMSA has structured learning pathways and a competency framework to empower the next generation with the skills to lead.
Second, don’t wait for permission to lead. Speak up in meetings. Volunteer for complex assignments. Build credibility through excellence and consistency, and let your work speak for you. Third, build strong networks and mentorship circles. Leadership can be lonely, especially for women breaking barriers in traditionally male-dominated spaces. Surround yourself with people who challenge you, support you, and open doors for you, and do the same for others as you grow.
Fourth, embrace the power of authenticity. You don’t have to lead like someone else to be effective. There is strength in compassion, clarity in purpose, and value in diverse leadership styles. Lastly, resilience is part of the journey. There will be setbacks, resistance, and moments of self-doubt. Stay anchored in your values, keep learning, and lead with integrity to not only succeed but leave a legacy.
Advancing Ethical Leadership and Resilient Governance Across African Institutions
Yvonne’s leadership is deeply anchored in advancing ethical, resilient, and risk-conscious institutions across Africa. She views leadership as a platform to influence operational excellence and values-based governance, supporting long-term sustainability. IRMSA helps integrate ethical risk management into corporate and public institutions so leaders can make informed, transparent, accountable decisions to strengthen governance frameworks and foster a culture of integrity and foresight.
As a member of the King Committee representing the risk fraternity, Yvonne feels privileged to contribute to shaping South Africa’s corporate governance landscape, aligning risk thinking with ethical leadership at the highest level. “This role allows me to advocate for governance principles that are compliant, principled, and future-focused. The King V Code for Good Corporate Governance presents an opportunity to strengthen our commitment to ethical decision-making and resilience,” she notes.
Conclusion
As a leader in risk management excellence across Africa and beyond, Yvonne Mothibi hopes to build a future-fit, resilient, sustainable, and risk-aware society. To this end, she is developing and growing an engaged membership; educating, certifying, and professionalising; achieving global professional recognition; innovating and propelling future fitness; and becoming the authoritative voice in risk management.
As part of her legacy, Yvonne aims to position IRMSA as a dynamic, respected, and future-focused institution, empowering risk professionals and contributing meaningfully to resilient and sustainable societies throughout Africa and beyond.