member profile bamI COlE A karate-loving public sector risk manager with a taste for travel What is it about your role that gets you out of bed in the morning? Working in the public sector, I realise the value and contribution of my work isnt the kind of thing that can be measured in monetary terms; though, Im convinced that a job well done leads directly to greater value for money, improvements in quality and efficiency gains some of which at least are measurable. So thats what motivates and drives me the belief that today I can make a difference. Ive recently had welcome recognition of that, when IRM chose me to be one of the first people to be awarded the new IRM Certification. Describe a typical day Because Im in shared services, serving two partners, my first task is to grapple with which of the two routes I need to take on any given day. Ill either have to tackle the M25 from Orpington to my Dartford office, or the A224 to get to my hot desk at Sevenoaks. My teams remit covers a fairly wide spectrum, which includes internal audit, risk management and anti-fraud service. A typical day might start with reviewing progress on the internal audit plan, and any particular aspect of an audit report with material implications, to decide what mitigation to propose. Ill also meet staff and management to discuss issues arising from audit reviews or risk assessments. I periodically chair the officers risk group at Sevenoaks Council, or run workshops on risk management for managers. What are your passions outside of work? My wife and three children have been the centre of my universe for the past 20 years. With two children now graduated from university, and the last one recently completing her first year, I now have time to pursue my other love travelling. Ive travelled extensively in Europe, USA and Africa, and particularly enjoy visiting France and sampling good food and wine there. Ive also practised Japanese Shotokan karate for decades. I was the university karate team captain and in a team which won the Southern Region Karate Championship. I dont practise karate so regularly these days, but Ive swapped it for particularly active membership of my local gym. tell us something surprising about yourself I once met the Prince of Nepal when he was in the UK as a student at Eton, during his A-levels. My karate instructor at the time was also teaching tennis at Eton and the prince, who was a black belt, came to watch us in a competition. He seemed very pleasant and I was deeply shocked at his tragic end. Whats your favourite place in the world? It has to be the south of France Provence and Languedoc-Roussillon. Its a place I keep returning to, where I forget the demands of modern life and just enjoy a more relaxed pace of life. Who inspires you? Ive had many inspirational figures at various stages in my life, ranging from my grandfather, to Bruce Lee, Nelson Mandela, Steve Jobs and many others. Id never limit myself to a single figure, as no one individual possesses all the qualities I want to encourage in myself. Whats the best advice youve been given? My grandfather once told me: Never leave until tomorrow what you can do today you never know what tomorrow will bring. Looking back, this sound advice was based on the management of uncertainties a core risk management principle, although I wasnt even aware of risk management at the time! Bami Cole is manager for audit, risk and antifraud shared services team for Dartford and Sevenoaks councils