Financial Risk Management Training Courses and Certifications

Financial Risk Types and Controls

Financial risk is any type of risk impacting a financial institute’s ability to complete transactions or safely administer financial loans. At its core, financial risk involves assessing return on investment against potential financial loss. This is achieved by determining the degree of uncertainty involved in the given investment. Financial risk is often divided into a number of subcategories, including:

• Liquidity Risk
• Operational Risk
• Credit Risk
• Market Risk

Financial risk management training courses often focus on an understanding of the risk cycle, identifying the point and circumstances in which the above types of risk come into play and guiding learners in techniques for how to best control them.

Current Best Practices in Risk Management

Financial risk management is a complex process requiring near constant monitoring. Risk professionals assess changes in regulatory compliance, social and political climates, financial derivatives, and much more. To accomplish these feats of financial finesse, risk professionals employ a number of instruments. Very simply defined, financial instruments are anything that can be traded for goods or services. The principle financial instruments used within financial institutions, and those essential in any assessment of financial risk management are:

• Futures
• Forwards
• Swaps
• Options

Understanding and Implementing Derivatives

Similar to the above financial instruments, derivatives are essentially a form of currency. The differences are that the value of a derivative is wrapped up in the value of another entity, such as an interest rate. There are many kinds of derivatives and choosing the right set is an important part of any financial institutions risk management initiatives. Almost all financial risk management training courses will include derivatives as part of the course content and many base the entire course on the subject.

Financial Risk Management Training for Insurance Professionals

Most risk management training courses for insurers will contain a section on current events, if not revolve around them completely. A major part of successful financial risk management is proper assessment of the current social and political climate, both in specific financial markets and worldwide. Insurance companies must stay up to date with a variety of risk factors related to current events. Financial risk management requires close monitoring of response initiatives to natural disasters, current effects of terrorism, the spread of disease and other events potentially impacting financial markets.

Financial Risk Management Training for Non-Finance

The line between departments is becoming increasingly blurred in recent years. Executives and senior management need to understand and read financial statements, identify risk and be prepared to make clear business projects for the coming quarter. Most financial risk management training courses for non-finance are designed to equip managers and department heads working alongside the finance department, or in supporting roles, to better understand the day to day functions and stay on point in meetings.