BDO USA, LLP Expands Crisis Management & Business Continuity Services Through Addition of Lootok

New York-Based Corporate Risk Management Firm Joins BDO

CHICAGO, January 9, 2019 — BDO USA, LLP, one of the nation’s leading accounting and advisory firms, today announced the asset acquisition of Lootok, a crisis management and business continuity consulting and technology firm headquartered in New York. The acquisition of Lootok bolsters BDO’s proactive risk management capabilities, offering clients an end-to-end suite of services across the risk continuum.

Founded in 2006, Lootok integrates military models, cognitive science, design thinking and game theory with industry risk management standards to create new ways of understanding the disciplines of business continuity, crisis management, and enterprise risk management. Lootok helps organizations of all sizes and industries transform their risk programs through risk assessment, program design, self-service technologies, and activity-based learning and engagement.

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Lootok names Managing Director, Brian Collins

Consulting at the board and the C-suite levels require more than experience and expertise. Presence matters. Strength of conviction matters. This caliber of consultant is a partner who confronts the thorniest topics head-on and who can speak the language of today’s leaders. Lootok has found such a talent. It is with great enthusiasm and expectation that Lootok announces Brian Collins as Managing Director. Mr. Collins joins Lootok with more than twenty years of risk management experience across industries and sectors. Based in Washington, DC, he will lead the global crisis management practice.

Mr. Collins is a decorated Marine officer with awards for valor in combat and service. He has worked at the highest levels of government with General/Flag Officers, Assistant Cabinet Secretaries, and Ambassadors. He paired his extensive governmental experience with a master’s degree from Georgetown University and graduated from the Senior Executive Fellows program at the Harvard Kennedy School.

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Lootok is looking for a gifted Art Director

About

Lootok is a boutique NYC-based business continuity advisory firm that differentiates ourselves through our innovative, engaging and cognitive approach to consulting. We are looking for a candidate to support our Creative Services department by providing exceptional design services that helps us deliver quality website, emails, workshops, games, presentations, and products.

Core responsibilities

• Design web sites, interfaces, and emails with a sound understanding of grids, responsive design, and CSS
• Design visually stunning print and digital materials including handouts, posters, banners, info graphics, newsletters, logos, and other graphic design needs
• Create PowerPoint presentations demonstrating expertise using master themes, complex animation, styles, fonts, and graphics (images, smart art, shapes, tables, etc.)
• Integrate compelling and innovative alternatives for displaying graphics and verbose PowerPoint/Word content
• Utilize Adobe Creative Suite to edit/create images and video for incorporation into scenarios and materials
• Design and create elearning modules using Adobe Captivate
• Interact directly with the consulting team to adapt reports, handouts, and presentations for new client content/branding with exceptional attention to detail and consistency
• Leverage and maintain vendor relationships to produce high-quality materials (board games, posters, t-shirts, etc.) for client workshops
• Logically organize and diligently maintain a graphic design library of digital imagery and in-house inventory of physical materials

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A Game of Supply Chain Risk

By Susan Lacefield

Mars Inc. has found that games are an effective way to teach supply chain risk management and resiliency.

When the pet food, candy, and drink company Mars Inc. wants to start a discussion with internal or external supply chain partners about supply chain risk management and resiliency, it basically holds a game night.

Chris de Wolfe, director of risk management, admits that initially he was skeptical that card and board games could help launch a supply chain risk management program. But he has since found that simulation activities are the best way to identify pain points and open people’s eyes to the risks around them.

De Wolfe and Sean S. Murphy, CEO of the business continuity consulting company Lootok Ltd., described two of the games that they use during a breakout session at the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) 2018 Annual Conference. These games have been used both at local Mars sites as well as with the companies’ key vendors.

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Breaking the Business Continuity Mould

Embrace the process, not the destination

Business continuity and crisis management is moving from its traditional roots and by-the-book implementation, to a much more disruptive—and much more effective—process. Business continuity planning has become more complex, nonlinear and inclusive of multiple third parties, and the growing ecosystem of cloud and as-a-service providers has moved much of the risk outside of the immediate control of the risk manager. This is all complicated by the inherent difficulty in getting buy-in and participation in what is often a project nobody really wants to be a part of.

It becomes even more complex when planners must prepare for a wider group of possibilities, which includes not only natural disasters, labor disputes and equipment failures, but cyber-disasters which are often not as well defined and even more unpredictable, and are based on environments and actors which have no physical boundaries.

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The Psychology of Risk

Over the past several years, psychologists, behavioral scientists and academics have helped to advance our understanding of human psychology and, specifically, how humans respond to high-risk and crisis situations. This research has highlighted how a lack of pre-crisis training and preparation may exacerbate risk and cause unnecessary errors during times of stress and uncertainty.

The good news is that these experts can also help us better understand the best ways for businesses to help individuals prepare and train for such situations so they can contribute positively to the risk management and crisis mitigation process.

But while the need for crisis and business continuity planning is clearly recognized by a wide swath of businesses and many endorse and utilize such programs, the degree to which companies and their risk managers have embraced the findings of what some call “the psychology of risk” is sorely lacking.

For the entire article please visit rmmagazine.com

Lootok Resiliency Summit: The best risk managers don’t do it alone

How can I ensure our internal stakeholders are properly trained on risk management? How can I make sure the quality of plans is consistent within a global organization? How do I get people to care when they’re facing limited resources, budget, and time?

This is what every global risk, crisis, and security leader asks—and they’re disappointed when I tell them there aren’t easy answers. There’s no magic pill that transforms someone into a thoughtful continuity planner or an informed risk management advocate. The fact is, it takes time to educate and train stakeholders on important initiatives, and effort to establish the processes and protocol that facilitate consistency. It also may mean giving people dedicated time (especially if they’re strapped for time already) to devote towards proper training and development.

 

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