By Luis Preciado*
Currently, organizations face a more complex and dynamic environment, in which the common denominator is uncertainty. The interaction between economic, social, environmental and technological factors requires new forms of leadership and decision-making, since it is no longer enough to react: it is necessary to anticipate, adapt and transform.
Complexity as a constant
The growing interdependence of markets exposes companies to risks derived from geopolitical, regulatory, technological and environmental factors. According to the Risks in Mexico and Central America 2025 study, companies highlight changes in the current geopolitical environment, the imposition of tariffs on imports from abroad (75% in both cases) and insecurity and lack of rule of law (69%) as the main short-term risks, while in the long term they point out the lag in innovation and digital transformation (52%), changes in consumer trends and the shortage of key inputs (45% in both cases) as priority.
Faced with this reality, the intelligent management of complexity becomes a critical capability. Organizations must have agile governance, analysis and process structures that allow them to make quick but informed decisions. In this regard, 60% of companies in Mexico already have comprehensive risk management processes, reflecting the strategic relevance of this issue.
Risk as opportunity
In a context of prevention and proactive management, risk, traditionally conceived as a threat, is revealed from another perspective: that of strategic opportunity. Each risk contains information about vulnerabilities, but also about areas where you can innovate, differentiate or even lead.
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For example, a climate risk drives the transition towards more resilient and sustainable business models. These types of threats can motivate agribusiness companies to adopt sustainable practices that strengthen their resilience.
On the other hand, a cybersecurity risk can strengthen the organization’s capabilities in its technological processes, while enabling the secure digitization of processes. In the financial and technology industry, this type of threat can accelerate the adoption of advanced digital protection solutions and build trust among users.
For its part, a reputational risk becomes an opportunity to strengthen transparency and trust with interested parties (customers, investors and society). Companies in the food industry, for example, can turn this type of threat into an opportunity that allows them to reinforce their quality standards and communication with the public.
Finally, a regulatory risk opens the door to building competitive advantages through early compliance and good practices in the adoption of standards higher than those required. Technology companies, for example, can benefit by anticipating regulations, positioning themselves as industry leaders.
In short, transforming risk into opportunity requires a dual approach: defensive, to protect the business, and proactive, to identify and capitalize on areas of innovation.
About the author:
*Luis Preciado He is Lead Partner of Risk Advisory Solutions at KPMG Mexico
The opinions expressed are solely the responsibility of their authors and are completely independent of the position and editorial line of Forbes Mexico.
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