Speaker

Meet Aruna Vaz, an Enterprise and Operational Risk Management and Compliance professional boasting a robust career spanning close to two decades. With over 5 years dedicated to a pivotal leadership role, Aruna has become an influential figure in challenging Boards and Committees on critical risk and compliance themes. Aruna's professional canvas is a masterpiece of international experience, having left an indelible mark in Indonesia, Singapore, Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, and presently the United Arab Emirates. She has spearheaded significant risk and compliance projects, including the implementation of Solvency 2 and GDPR, setting up operational and enterprise risk functions, and driving business development initiatives. In her current role, Aruna is responsible for the Operational Risk department at M2 implementing and embedding Operational risk framework and guiding the business on various risk aspects. In her last role, Aruna orchestrated the Enterprise Risk Management and Loss Prevention functions for Aster DM Healthcare's global network across 7 countries, overseeing a vast expanse of 350+ Hospitals, Clinics, and Pharmacies. Her responsibilities included embedding risk management across the organization, guiding board members, conducting fraud investigations, and steering strategic projects in risk identification, assessment, and management. Prior to this, Aruna's illustrious tenure at M&G plc spanned 15 years, where she played a pivotal role in fortifying the organization's risk and controls agenda. Her trailblazing efforts extended to founding the Diversity and Inclusion chapter, earning her the Rising Star Award for driving initiatives across gender diversity, mental health, and LGBTQ networks. Aruna's contributions to the field of Governance, Risk, and Compliance were further validated when she emerged as a finalist in the Chief Risk Officer category at the Women in GRC Awards by GRC World forums in 2023. Last year she won Asia's 100 Women Power Leaders 2023 in the Rising Leader category. Beyond her professional endeavors, Aruna finds solace in mentoring young minds, exploring new cuisines, and traveling with her family.