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The 1st line in 2026 must undergo both structural and cultural transformation if it is to remain credible and effective. Banks must understand what “good” looks like for the function in the near future, understanding that the 1st line cannot simply expand in size or duplicate 2nd line functions; it must be right-sized, outcome-focused, and clear on its role as risk owner rather than process administrator. The goal of the 1st line is to own the risk, not just the process, shifting from procedural compliance to embedding risk thinking directly into business decisions.

With the risk landscape evolving rapidly, organisations must balance innovation with governance, leveraging data-driven strategies to build resilience against cyber threats, third-party risks, and market disruptions. Effective cross-functional collaboration across the 3 lines of defence will be essential in strengthening risk culture, ensuring adaptability, and improving the overall risk management framework.

Through expert-led discussions and interactive roundtables, participants will gain insights into reshaping risk assessments, enhancing key controls, and leveraging technology to drive a more dynamic, proactive, and future-ready 1st line.
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What's New for 2026?

  • Join senior leaders from other industries as they discuss ‘The 1st Line in 2030: What Does ‘Good’ Actually Look Like?
  • Hear from senior practitioners facilitating the roundtable discussions who will be discussing developing a successful 1st line functions, benchmarking non-financial risk & controls.
  • With a growing spotlight on technology and AI, participants can learn about successful use cases for Moving Patchwork Automation to Control Intelligence: Scaling What Works
  • Closed to the press and held under Chatham House Rule, each debate and roundtable discussion will tackle bolder questions, inviting honest, unfiltered, and even controversial conversations

What to Expect

  • Engage with your peers from across the globe to explore the evolving role of the 1st line and how greater collaboration across the 3 lines of defence can drive success.
  • ·Participate in interactive discussions on topics such as risk assessments, risk culture, 1st line controls and de-siloing the lines of defence.
  • Understand how senior practitioners view the evolving regulatory expectations for the 1st line.
  • Discuss challenges with senior practitioners around balancing automation, risk culture, and governance to create a sustainable and effective control framework.
  • Explore how technology and AI can help streamline 1st line processes, enhance risk oversight, and support proactive risk management in an increasingly complex environment.

Debates

Sessions where four or five Managing Director-level practitioners discuss and debate a particular topic or issue. Panel debates are a great way to explore complex topics and get multiple perspectives on a subject.

  • The 1st Line in 2030: What Does ‘Good’ Actually Look Like?
  • Moving Patchwork Automation to Control Intelligence: Scaling What Works
  • Risk-Based, Not Control-Based: Rebalancing the Operating Model Without Breaking Assurance

Roundtable Discussions

Private, off the record roundtables are moderated by leading practitioners in the 1st line are designed to promote dialogue and collaboration among the attendees.

  • Control Testing Without the Chaos:   Monitoring v. Testing
  • Ops Res: From Compliance to Competitive Advantage
1st Line Report 2024
Rethinking Roles, Responsibility and Risk in the 1st Line
1st line functions must consider the target operating model. While the 1LOD originally focused on testing and control, it now embraces broader risk-management roles that support business operations more directly and effectively.
Read the full Report

Who should attend?

Managing Director, Directors and Heads of:
  • Chief Control Officers
  • 1st Line
  • 1st Line Controls
  • Chief Controls Office
  • Supervision
  • Risk Assessment
  • Control Testing
  • Controls, Conduct and Supervision
  • Behaviour/ Conduct Risk
  • Control & Supervision
  • Business Control Unit
  • Business Risk Management
  • Business Assurance
  • COOs and Business Managers (Front Office) with a control mandate
  • Front Office Risk and Control
  • Front Office Control & Remediation
  • Front Office Policy Governance
  • Front Office Control change
  • Business Operational Risk Management
  • Operational Risk Management
  • And Compliance and Audit practitioners who are interested
    in interoperating with their colleagues in the 1st Line

How the Deep Dives and Annual Reports work

Networking

Deep Dives offer virtual interaction through an intra-delegate messaging system, opportunities to pose questions to speakers in real time, and interactive roundtable discussions.

Chatham House Rule applies, creating a safe environment for a free discussion and no press attend.
Networking
1LoD reports

Annual Report

Deep Dives are 1LoD's annual update on a non-financial risk function or topic. Content is presented in a 6- or 8-page report which summarises 4 hours of debate between 16 practitioners at Managing Director level who are leaders for their functions, often joined by the relevant regulators

Roundtables

Private, off the record roundtables are moderated by 1LoD, and attended by delegates from financial institutions who have booked their place in advance. They take place on Zoom. Delegates are sent discussion topics, and an overall structure of the debate in advance to assist the flow of the discussion.
Interactive Roundtables
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Why sponsor the Annual Report?

Deep Dives provide the industry with an annual update on the latest trends and thinking on the function or topic in focus. They:

• Generate Demand
• Gather Intelligence
• Raise Your Profile
• Create Content
Contact us to Learn More

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