Highlights from webinar: NZ's natural hazard landscape with NEMA Chief Executive
In February 2026, Dave joined the Forum for a follow-up webinar exploring New Zealand's natural hazard risk profile, what this means for boards and executive teams, and the practical next steps leaders can take to strengthen preparedness for major disruption.
The conversation reinforced a clear message: disruption is inevitable, but the level of preparedness shown thorugh leadership and governance before and during a crisis will determine how organisations - and the country - respond and recover.
Selected highlighs from this webinar are available below.
1. Preparedness is a governance issue
"Preparedness is a governance and leadership issue - not an operational one."
Major disruption tests decision-making, authority, and organisational resilience at the top. Boards and executives must treat preparedness as a core governance responsibility.
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2. Probability of catastrophic events within our lifetime
The likelihood of a catastrophic event happening in the next three years is significantly higher than many assume - and the economic consequences are profound.
The better prepared New Zealand is, the faster we recover - and the stronger our long-term economic and social outcomes will be.
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3. How global risks translate into local impact
"A disaster is disastrous not only because of the problems it causes, but also because of the solutions it eliminates."
Global shocks create cascading effects that rapidly constrain options for governments, businesses, and communities - often in unexpected ways.
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4. The questions boards and CEOs should start asking
Many of these disruptions are predictable surprises.
To govern effectively through a disruption, boards and CEOs must understand how a crisis is likely to unfold - by asking the right questions before it happens.
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5. The hidden chokepoint
Many organisations can get caught off guard by the hidden chokepoint during a disruption.
Identifying the points of failure early is critical to building resilience.
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6. Don't assume
Crisis plans often fail because of untested assumptions - particularly around staff availability.
Preparedness requires challenging these assumptions.
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7. Centre of Gravity (CoG) Analysis
A practical next step you and your organisation can take in crisis planning to identify:
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Critical organisational capabilities
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External dependencies
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Vulnerabilities that matter most during a crisis
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