First Filipino accredited as qualified risk director

The Philippine Star

December 10, 2024 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — Teodoro Kalaw IV, an independent director at the Gothong Southern Group of Companies, has become the first Filipino to be granted the prestigious qualified risk director (QRD) designation by the DCRO Institute, the world’s leading authority on risk governance training and credentials, the Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD) announced.

Kalaw holds a prominent leadership role within the ICD as corporate secretary, thought leadership chair, past trustee and its youngest Life Fellow. He was instrumental in launching ICD’s Family Firm Governance, Sustainability Strategy and Reporting and Masterclass programs.

He is also president emeritus and past chair of the Philippine Institute of Arbitrators and serves as a law professor at Ateneo Law School. He is currently president of both the Fellowship of IP Counselors of the Philippines Inc., the Philippine association of the International Federation of Intellectual Property Attorneys and the Institute of Philippine Real Estate Appraisers, the Philippine member organization of the International Valuation Standards Council.

Kalaw is a senior partner at Kalaw Prasad and Hofilena Law, where his practice focuses on corporate governance, intellectual property, realty transactions, commercial litigation and public policy representation.

Licensed in the Philippines, New York State and the United States Supreme Court, he obtained Juris Doctor from Ateneo Law School and his Master of Laws from Harvard Law School. He also has an MBA jointly from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, an MPA from the National College of Public Administration and Governance of the University of the Philippines, and a Master of Studies in Sustainability Leadership from the University of Cambridge.

He is also a fellow of several international and national learned societies and holds numerous international qualifications, including being the first Filipino chartered arbitrator and accredited mediator of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. His other professional practices include being a chartered surveyor of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, a project management professional of the Project Management Institute and a certified compliance and ethics professional – International of the Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics. He is also the first Filipino to obtain the Certificate in Risk Governance® from the DCRO Institute.

“As we have recently launched a new partnership with ICD-Philippines, it is only fitting that the first person in the Philippines to receive permission to use our top credential, the QRD designation, is someone who occupies a leadership role with the organization. We welcome him to this distinguished, global leadership group,” said David Koenig, president and CEO of the DCRO Institute.

The QRD credential equips board members with the necessary expertise to navigate complex risk environments, focusing on positive governance of risk-taking. This strategic insight enhances decision-making and organizational resilience, fostering a culture of informed, risk-aware decision-making. QRDs are instrumental in addressing regulatory complexities, driving strategic initiatives and maintaining public trust.