Governance, Risk and Compliance are no longer just about protecting the present. They are about preparing the future.

That may be why the organisers of the GPRC Summit added the “P” for Performance. Performance today. Performance tomorrow.

I would add one more letter: GPRC-S. The S stands for Strategy.

Because the world is accelerating. Many experts predict more change in the next ten years than in the previous hundred. Whether we like it or not, we must adapt. As Eric Shinseki said: “If you dislike change, you are going to dislike irrelevance even more.”

So the real question to the GPRC audience is: What is your strategy? In this environment, it is no longer enough for Governance, Risk and Compliance leaders to optimise the business of today. They must work closely with the CEO, the C-Suite and the Board to shape the winning strategy of tomorrow. So the organisation can thrive today. And thrive tomorrow.

At the GPRC Summit in Dubai, I will share two strategic shifts that help GRC leaders turn compliance into competitive advantage.

1. Strategy Definition Twist: Your 2036 Strategic Moonshot

None of us can predict the future. But as Alan Kay said: “The best way to predict the future is to invent it.” So let us invent 2036! (Because, believe it or not, many organisations settle for very “business as usual” strategic goals, like “budget + 5%”)

But that’s not what I am expecting in the room. I’ve talked with too many Leaders in UAE to know how ambitious they are!

Here’s the shift I’m proposing: It’s not about saying, “We want to win” or “We want to be number one.” It’s NOT about generic ideas like “being the best” or “being the biggest.” I think this is a mistake.

The real question is: What will success look like for your business, your customers, your stakeholders, and for society as a whole – in 10, 20, or even 30 years? This shift is CRITICAL.

To answer this, I use the Steroid vs Asteroid approach.

• Steroid thinking strengthens and scales your existing business model. It builds on core capabilities and optimises what already works.
• Asteroid thinking reinvents the business model. It explores disruptive opportunities and designs the organisation of tomorrow.

There is no right or wrong model, just two different, almost opposite ways of crafting your strategic moonshot.

I want the delegates in the room to balance these two perspectives so they can define a truly ambitious, bold and unique strategic ambition for their organisation.

2. Strategy Execution Twist: Your One-Page Strategy Dashboard

Defining strategy is only half the battle. Execution is where transformation happens.

Winston Churchill once said: “However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results.”

Many executives rely on sophisticated dashboards, Balanced Scorecards or OKRs. But it is not about the tool! It is about the principles.

I’m very much tool‑agnostic; whatever works for you is fine. But whatever tool, your strategy execution dashboard must be:

• Short: Your role as a leader is precisely to simplify. No 95-page reports.
• Strategic: Focus only on transformational priorities, not operational noise or urgent matters.
• Actionable: Every strategy progress review must help you to make better and faster decisions regarding your strategy execution

At the Summit, I will share a crisp, decision-focused four-page execution framework that brings clarity, ownership and measurable impact.

I hope it will help transform Governance, Risk and Compliance Teams from a control function into a true strategic advantage!

See you in Dubai.