My name is Tony Pooley, and Principle Seven is a very small organisation that allows me to work with clients that genuinely want to lead in Enterprise Risk Management or Safety Solutions … and say ‘no’ to those that aren’t.
I am an adjunct Associate Professor at the University of South Australia on risk management, and a Member of the NOPSEMA Advisory Board advising the Federal Minister for the Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism, and Relevant State Ministers, on offshore safety and environmental management.
I found myself at the forefront of Risk Management in Australia when I quit engineering design in 1992 and established the Qest Consulting Group with three friends. Risk accomplishments that I’m particularly proud of include the development of innovative risk management methodologies including…
1. SQRA* methodology for experienced-based quantification of health and safety hazards, now commonplace in the mining industry globally and many of Australia’s oil and gas operations.
2. OUTRAGE! community engagement software (together with risk communication guru Dr. Peter Sandman – not a great financial success but still regarded by Peter as some of his best work.)
3. Risk Assured** methodology – using experience-based quantification of risk to undertake enterprise risk management.
With a background in the design of oil and gas facilities it’s not surprising that my early work was in relation to safety in the Chemical and Petrochemical industries and in Offshore Exploration and Production facilities. In the early years of the 21st century I was fortunate enough to lead the introduction of experience-based processes into the mining industry through Rio Tinto’s willingness to lead.
In 2007 I was invited to join the Newcrest Mining Executive Committee and practice what I had preached for so many years. The experience has made me more aware of my clients’ difficulties in moving forward with risk innovation in a large organisation… but also aware that it can be done well with genuine commitment from the top.
In the last decade I’ve been fortunate enough to work across many industries, sometimes with great individuals as clients. However, I’ve also found too many consultants and clients that are happy to tick the boxes rather than move up the maturity ladder.
If your organisation doesn’t figure in my current client list and you want to make risk management a core part of your business decision-making, I hope to make your acquaintance in the next few years… before I get so grumpy I have to retire!
Tony Pooley
* SQRA© is now owned by GHD Ltd.
** Risk Assured® is owned by Parsons Brinckerhoff