RIMS-CRMP Stories

Victoria Ogbuehi is the Senior Risk & Resilience Manager for Nigerian Bottling Company, which provides services to Coca-Cola HBC, following years in the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps. She discussed how the RIMS-CRMP equipped her for the role and the flexibility it provided her as a risk professional.

RIMS: What inspired you to take the RIMS-CRMP?

Ogbuehi: I was driven by the desire to improve myself. When I was promoted to the position of Senior Risk & Resilience Manager in October 2020, I needed additional and practical knowledge to do the job well. I had recently moved from law enforcement to corporate security management and had worked as a security operations manager for only one year in East and Central Nigeria.

Suddenly, I was responsible for the entire country and had to frequently interact with members of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT). I realized that what I had at the time of my promotion was not enough to sustain me in my new role, so I sought out knowledge to become more confident and capable.

RIMS: How did your career experience at Coca-Cola HBC or the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps lend itself as a knowledge base for pursuing the RIMS-CRMP certification?

Ogbuehi: I would like to share my experience of transitioning from a career in public security with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps to the corporate sector. In public security, the focus is mainly on crime prevention and prosecution for the benefit of the public, whereas in the corporate sector, the focus is on asset protection and loss prevention.

Therefore, I had little experience in traditional risk management when I joined Coca-Cola HBC. However, I found that working at Coca-Cola HBC provided me with the necessary knowledge base to excel in my role. The training I received before my examination was extremely practical and relevant to my work, which made it easier for me to understand and apply it to my job.

I learned about cross-functional collaboration and how risk owners can take ownership of their function's risks quickly. If I had still been in law enforcement at the time, these concepts would have seemed abstract to me. Overall, my experience at Coca-Cola HBC (CCHBC) has been very beneficial, and I have gained a lot of valuable knowledge and skills that have helped me in my current role.

RIMS: In what ways did Coca-Cola HBC support you in preparing for the RIMS-CRMP exam?

Ogbuehi: The company was extremely supportive throughout the process by providing all the resources I needed to train and pass the exam. This conversation took place at a senior leadership level, which demonstrated CCHBC's commitment to ensuring that specialized roles within the company have the necessary competence to perform. Additionally, Coca-Cola HBC takes professionalism and competence seriously and is always looking for ways to improve employees' on-the-job efficiency.

RIMS: How has adding the RIMS-CRMP to your title enhanced your career or elevate your professional profile?

Ogbuehi: I find the RIMS-CRMP certification to be extremely valuable. It has given me tremendous flexibility in my career as a risk management professional. I spent several days seeking the best enterprise risk management certification, as I always strive to attain the best and globally recognized certifications.

Eventually, I discovered the RIMS-CRMP, which was highly recommended and rated. Since obtaining this certification, I have experienced significant professional growth and am much better off than before. From time to time, people even reach out to me for career advice.

RIMS: How did you prepare for the exam?

Ogbuehi: I was trained by the lead consultant at Conrad Clark Nigeria Limited, which is an enterprise risk management consulting company. When it comes to studying, my all-time preferred approach is the SQ3R (a reading comprehension method named for its five steps: Survey, Question, Read, Recite, and Review).

I start by skimming and taking notes on the reference materials, and then I formulate questions based on what I have read before intensifying my reading and reciting the material in my own words.

RIMS: What continuing education activities are planning to do to keep your knowledge current and recertify?

Ogbuehi: I participate in various industry volunteering activities to earn recertification points. These include writing, speaking at conferences, supporting conference selection processes, reviewing conference proposals, and other methods.

See the full RIMS-CRMP Exam Prep calendar.

Interview by Justin Smulison, RIMS Business Content Manager