Dave Owens appointed Fellow of the Institute of Strategic Risk Management
We’re proud to share that our Managing Director, Dave Owens APM, has been appointed a Fellow of the Institute of Strategic Risk Management (F.ISRM)
This is the Institute’s highest membership grade, reserved for leaders who’ve made an outstanding contribution to strategic risk and crisis management.
A career built on leading through complexity
Dave brings more than four decades of senior leadership in policing, emergency management, crisis coordination and strategic risk.
He founded Risk-e Business after retiring as Deputy Commissioner of the NSW Police Force, where he led almost 13,000 police and 1,200 staff. Across his government career, Dave commanded and coordinated some of Australia’s most complex operations — including roles as a Sydney 2000 Olympics Venue Commander, Operational Commander for APEC Leaders Week 2007, and overall commander for World Youth Day 2008.
Dave also served as NSW’s longest-tenured State Emergency Operations Controller (SEOCON), leading statewide crisis responses ranging from major floods and bushfires to international deployments and urban search and rescue activations.
Since transitioning to the private sector, Dave has continued to shape emergency management, recovery and resilience across Australia. His work includes major government and industry reviews, high consequence exercising programs, crisis leadership coaching, and strategic advisory roles for agencies and critical infrastructure operators. Recent work spans leading statewide exercises, recovery coordination, biosecurity preparedness, and multi-jurisdictional crisis and emergency management frameworks.
About the Institute of Strategic Risk Management
The Institute of Strategic Risk Management (ISRM) is a global professional body and knowledge network focused on advancing strategic risk and crisis management capability worldwide. It brings together practitioners, academics and policy leaders across its international chapters to share best practice, develop professional standards, and strengthen resilience in an increasingly complex risk environment.
Fellowship of the ISRM recognises individuals whose leadership and practical impact have meaningfully advanced the field - not just within their own organisations, but across the wider community and profession.
A proud moment for Risk-e Business
Dave’s appointment reflects the depth of expertise and real-world leadership that Risk-e Business brings to every client partnership. It also reinforces our commitment to building stronger, safer, more resilient organisations and communities through strategic risk thinking, high-quality exercising, and confident crisis leadership.