yBC is pleased to have in Risk TV’s network of experts, an academic who has been awarded a lifetime achievement award from the Institute of Risk Management at the Global Risk Awards 2014.

John Adams is Professor Emeritus at University College London, where he began working in 1969.

At the end of last year yBC met Professor Adams in London and recorded an interview of just under two hours, during which Adams explained some of his key risk theories, discussed his academic work, and shared his perspective on changing attitudes towards risk.

Foundations of risk

Adams’ knowledge of risk exceeds just the application of risk management in business. He has studied the foundations of risk and risk behaviour.

He explains different types of risk using his Venn Diagram of Risk, which separates risk by how it is perceived, and explains risk taking and decision making using a Risk Thermostat.

Selected clips from his interview are available to watch now on Risk TV and yBC will release more clips in future Risk TV Briefings.

Edited footage from the shoot will also form part of the eLearning for Risk programme that yBC is producing, which will provide organisation-wide eLearning that is entirely accessible online on smartphones, tablets and laptops.

Adams’ interest in Risk stemmed from research into transport planning which necessarily involved safety and risk considerations. He has since written five books and many essays on risk.

He is now retired from teaching but still writes about risk and has a blog ‘Risk in a hypermobile world.’