RIMS, the risk management society®, has announced Jeff Bray, Senior Vice President, Head of Global Risk Management for Prologis, as the 2026 RIMS Risk Manager of the Year. Emily Buckley, Insurance Risk Manager for Specialized Bicycle Components, was inducted into the Risk Management Honor Roll. Jeff and Emily will be presented with the honors at RISKWORLD® in Philadelphia in May.
The Risk Manager of the Year program aims to raise the profile of the risk management profession and the outstanding programs the honorees have implemented within their organizations. The program was initiated in 1977 and the Risk Management Honor Roll was added in 1981.
“The best leaders in this field don’t just protect value, they help create it by empowering innovation, guiding strategy and cultivating business cultures that recognize the advantages of thoughtful risk-taking,” said RIMS CEO Gary LaBranche, FASAE, CAE. “Jeff Bray and Emily Buckley exemplify that vision. At RISKWORLD, the risk global management community will celebrate their exceptional professional achievements as well as their generosity and commitment to sharing their experiences with the profession’s future leaders.”
Any full-time professional who administers risk management programs for a corporation, nonprofit institution, or government entity is eligible for submission in the Risk Manager of the Year program. The nominations are judged by an independent panel comprising prior honorees and other risk management and insurance industry leaders.
ABOUT THE WINNERS
RISK MANAGER OF THE YEAR: Jeff Bray
Jeff Bray’s impact, integrity and forward-looking leadership exemplify the very best in the risk management profession.
Jeff is the Senior Vice President and Head of Global Risk Management at Prologis, a global leader in logistics real estate with 1.3 billion square feet across 20 countries on four continents, and more than 6,500 customers who are focused on moving goods around the globe.
Jeff began his risk management career at AMB Property Corporation (AMB) in 2005 and assumed leadership of global risk management after Prologis’ 2011 merger with AMB, forming Prologis. Since that time, he has continuously refined an enterprise-wide risk program tailored to the company’s rapid global growth. Under his guidance, his team collaboratively works across the organization and with external partners to successfully embed resilience into every facet of operations.
Jeff oversees the company’s risk management strategy, including insurance programs, claims, business resilience and other evolving strategies to address emerging risks. He has implemented an innovative approach to risk, utilizing catastrophe bonds, parametric insurance, alternative risk transfer and a captive insurer to optimize the cost of risk.
Prologis has an established formal enterprise risk management framework that links risk identification and mitigation with the company’s strategic planning. As part of the program, he engages with the finance, legal, audit, compliance, IT, operations and sustainability teams to evaluate enterprise-level risks – such as market risks, regulatory changes and technology-related risks – ensuring that risk considerations inform key business decisions.
Jeff has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to mentorship and the development of the next generation of risk management professionals. He has participated in the Spencer Educational Foundation’s Risk Manager in Residence program that has afforded him the opportunity to share his professional experiences with risk management students. Additionally, he continues to invest in the careers of future risk leaders by developing risk management internship opportunities at Prologis.
RISK MANAGEMENT HONOR ROLL: Emily Buckley
Emily Buckley is a dynamic risk professional who has built a program for her organization that empowers strategic decision-making, supports growth, and strengthens business resilience.
Emily is the Insurance Risk Manager for Specialized Bicycle Components, a global performance brand, a design and innovation shop, a supply-chain network and a retail partner. At Specialized, she oversees the company’s risk management function, supporting teams across product development, operations, sourcing, logistics, retail and corporate services.
Emily is Specialized Bicycle’s first-ever dedicated risk manager and has built a modern, enterprise-ready risk and insurance function from the ground up. She combines technical depth in risk financing and program design with strong cross-functional leadership that has standardized assessment and mitigation across divisions. Her success has embedded risk management into decision-making.
In her first year, her overhaul of the global insurance structure eliminated overlap, aligned policies to operational exposures and delivered seven-figure savings, creating durable, recurring value. She also laid the groundwork for enterprise risk management and is credited with establishing a framework to surface cross functional risks and prioritize mitigation strategies. Today, the enterprise risk management program continues to define and link the organization’s strategic risks while fostering a forward-looking culture among business leaders.
Additionally, Emily has launched a Global Business Continuity Program and implemented a modern Risk Management Information System that streamlined decision-making and scale governance across Specialized’s global footprint.
Beyond her corporate responsibilities, Emily’s commitment to the profession is equally impressive. She has been a long-standing advocate for her local risk community serving as the vice president of RIMS Rocky Mountain Chapter. She also routinely makes herself accessible to rising professionals, offering guidance, encouragement and practical insight through her RIMS participation, as well as a guest risk management lecturer at the University of Colorado Denver Business School.
