Four major themes at PARIMA’s Taipei conference

Geopolitical tensions loom large — but Taiwan is no stranger to that

A live survey of attendees revealed geopolitical risks as the top supply chain concern, receiving 32 percent of votes across six risk categories (inflation ranked second).

Several sessions referenced global conflicts, including the Russia-Ukraine and Middle East wars. Discussions also touched on Taiwan’s potential exposure to China’s influence after Donald Trump’s re-election, as the US pivots towards Trump’s “America First” isolationist stance.

Despite these concerns, geopolitical risks are hardly new for Taiwan. Maggie Hsieh, executive director and head of growth and delivering Aon United, Taiwan, Aon, stated in her presentation: “Taiwan has always understood geopolitical risk. We are resilient and can respond quickly. For example, Taiwan has strong cyber security alliances and robust communication when there’s a threat.”

Risk and HR: A growing partnership

“The crossover between risk and HR has never been stronger,” said Steve Tunstall, co-founder, director, and general secretary of PARIMA, during a session dedicated to people risk in the conference’s “People Stream.” Tunstall emphasised how talent retention and workforce challenges have become central to the risk management agenda.

“Our number one risk is people risk,” said Annacel Natividad, chief finance officer of Pilmico Foods Corporation, chief risk officer and sustainability head of Aboitiz Foods Group, and PARIMA’s President. “We operate in multiple countries, each with its own culture and language considerations.”

Jeannie Liu, career business leader at Mercer Taiwan, underscored the need to address critical talent gaps to prevent knowledge loss. Jessie Liu, senior director, North Asia BPP at Micron Technology Taiwan, highlighted the “severe shortage of talent” facing the region.

The conference featured dedicated HR professionals from Avaya, L’Oréal, and Metaage Corporation as speakers, demonstrating the increasing collaboration between HR and risk management teams.

Trump 2.0: Risk and opportunity

Sean Lin, head of Marsh Advisory at Marsh Taiwan, discussed the implications of Trump’s return on the global economy, particularly supply chains.

“Trump’s favourite word is tariff,” Lin said. “Taiwanese businesses are concerned about how his protectionist approach could affect them. Trump has suggested tariffs ranging from 20 to 60 percent, and many of our clients are worried about this.” He noted that China would likely face the brunt of any heightened tariffs.

Lin also predicted that Trump’s administration might further “expand the decoupling” between the US and China, especially in manufacturing sectors.

However, some viewed Trump’s policies as a double-edged sword. Bill Chang, Professor in the Department of Risk Management and Insurance at National Chengchi University, remarked: “Trump’s deregulation efforts could create opportunities for more [risk and insurance] services to be offered.”

The main certainty for next year: Uncertainty

“As our CEO often reminds us, the world is increasingly uncertain and volatile,” said Adam Peckman, head of risk consulting & cyber solutions — Asia Pacific, and global practice leader of Cyber Risk Consulting at Aon. In his morning presentation, he highlighted the unpredictability of the current global landscape.

Peckman referenced the BlackRock Geopolitical Risk Indicator, noting that three of its key factors directly impact risks in Taiwan.

While many sessions offered forward-looking insights, speakers cautioned that much depends on external developments. Supply chains could face significant disruption if Trump enacts his election pledges. Geopolitical risks may intensify if existing conflicts continue. Financial pressures will persist if inflation remains unchecked.