Podcast
How the expanding third party ecosystem is testing risk teams
17 February 2026
About the episode
In this episode of the ORX Operational Risk Podcast, Helen L’Abbate, ORX Deputy Director of Research and Information, is joined by Emilie Odin and Nikki Truss‑West, ORX Research Senior Managers, to unpack how digital transformation, new customer expectations, tighter margins and modern operating models have accelerated firms’ reliance on external suppliers. Drawing on insights from the Third Party Ecosystem Risk Management practice paper and the Third Party Cyber Risk Oversight and Assessment 2025 report, the discussion translates emerging risks and community insights into practical, actionable guidance for risk teams.
Listen in as we explore what’s behind the surge in third‑party relationships, the cyber and resilience risks created by increasingly complex supply chains, and the steps firms are taking to strengthen oversight across both TPRM and cyber functions.
Topic highlights:
- What third‑party ecosystem really means
- What’s driving the rapid expansion
- The risks created by the expanding ecosystem
- How ORX members are evolving their TPRM frameworks
- A first look at ORX’s 2026 third‑party deliverables
It's a register of external partners—it’s an entire operating environment that’s becoming larger, more interconnected, and increasingly complex.
In most financial organisations, what we see is that the third party ecosystem is the entire network of external companies as it relies on.
Third-party ecosystem definition
Episode resources
Available to ORX members
- Third Party Ecosystem Risk Management
- Third Party Ecosystem Risk Initiative
- Insurance sector review of navigating third party risk management
- Third party risk management: Summary of LeadersConnect discussions
Available to ORX Cyber subscribers
Blogs available to everyone
- BCBS third-party risk principles: What you need to know
- Embedding TPRM in business strategy: Seven steps to success
- EBA finalises new operational risk event taxonomy
- Third Party Ecosystem Risk Initiative: Key TPRM challenges revealed
- Geopolitics, AI and third parties drive surge in op risk materiality
Listen to the full episode to learn more
This podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or anywhere else you get your podcasts from (search for 'The ORX Operational Risk Podcast' to find us.)
