RIMS, the risk management society®, announced that Manuel “Manny” Padilla will lead the Society as president for the 2026 term, effective January 1. Manny is RIMS 70th President and the first of Hispanic descent.
Manny is the Vice President, Risk Management & Insurance for MacAndrews & Forbes Incorporated, a holding company with interests in a diversified portfolio that has included everything from cosmetics, film and digital entertainment, casino gaming and lottery systems, to banking services, print media, military equipment, mining and biotechnology. Since joining MacAndrews in 1992, his responsibilities have included analysis, procurement and management of a variety of risk management functions, including settlement activities on first party and third-party claims.
His risk management journey began as a student who was awarded a scholarship to attend RIMS Annual Conference & Exhibition (now RISKWORLD®) in 1992 in New Orleans. Since that conference, Manny has remained active with RIMS and has held several Board leadership roles, as well as leading roles on RIMS Public Policy Committee and RISK PAC.
“The time is now for risk professionals to take the lead and build corporate cultures that empower business leaders to make smart and strategic investments that spur innovation, growth, and profitability,” said Manny. “However, to assume that leading role, risk professionals must invest in themselves first.
“Making the smart investment in oneself demands patience, dedication and perseverance. My goal as RIMS president is to help ensure that this Society continues to create opportunities for risk professionals around the globe to make that wise investment in themselves and collaboratively advance the risk profession.”
In addition to his RIMS service, Manny is the co-chair of the Lloyd’s Counsel of Risk Owners, an Adjunct Professor for the Maurice Greenberg School of Risk Management, Insurance and Actuarial Science (St. John’s University), a member of a private family office risk committee group and was formerly a member of the risk committee for the New York Navy League, Executive Council Member.
Prior to his risk management career, from 1982 to 1988, Manny served in the United States Navy primarily engaged in shipboard engineering functions, serving on the USS Carl Vinson, the USS Kitty Hawk, and the USS Mount Baker. He was also the Asst. Master at Arms for Fighter Squadron 124 located in San Diego. He has been a member of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary since 2003 and was formerly the Commander for Division 11 located in Brooklyn, NY. He is qualified in various marine safety related areas and has earned the USCG Auxiliary AuxOp designation in addition to several awards.
Joining Manny Padilla on RIMS 2026 Global Board of Directors are the following risk management leaders:
Officers on RIMS 2026 Board of Directors:
President: Manuel Padilla, RIMS-CRMP, ARM, AIC, SPPA, CIPRIA, ERIS, MLIS; Vice President, Risk Management & Insurance, MacAndrews & Forbes Incorporated.
President-Elect: Christy Kaufman; Vice President, P&C Risk and Compliance, USAA.
Treasurer: Penni Chambers; Senior Vice President, Risk Management, Hillwood, a Perot Company.
Secretary: Christie Weinstein; Senior Director, Risk Management, Solstice Advanced Materials Inc.
Incumbent Board Members:
Ann Barry, MA, ARM; Senior Director, Risk Management, Palo Alto Networks.
Carnell Jones; Risk Manager, Trinitas Ventures LLC.
John Kline, RIMS-CRMP, CPCU, ARM; Senior Director, Enterprise Insurance Risk Management, TransUnion.
Will Lehman, MBA, ARM, CPCU; Global Director of Risk Management, Cook Group Incorporated.
Ondrea Matthews; Senior Director, Risk Management and Benefits, CoorsTek, LLC.
Tamieka Weeks, AIC, AIS, ARM-E; Director, Global Risk Management & Insurance, Southwire Company.
Robert Zhang; Chief Risk Officer, DTI Global.
Immediate Past-President: Kristen Peed, RIMS-CRMP, ACI, AIC, ARM-E, CPCU, CRM, RPLU; Chief Risk Officer, SEQUOIA.
Non-Voting Director: Gary A. LaBranche, FASAE, CAE, RIMS Chief Executive Officer.
For more information about RIMS leadership, visit www.RIMS.org.
