Libra Group Announces Richard Blaksley as Chief Risk and Compliance Officer
[January 31, 2023, New York, NY]: Libra Group, a privately-owned international business group whose subsidiaries own and operate assets in nearly 60 countries, has announced the appointment of Richard Blaksley as the Group’s first-ever Chief Risk and Compliance Officer, effective February 6, 2023.
A veteran leader with more than 30 years of senior management and risk management consulting experience in private and public sectors, Blaksley will ensure corporate compliance and manage risk across Libra Group’s global businesses. Blaksley’s prior experience includes 15 years at Kroll, a leading independent provider of risk and financial advisory solutions, where he led the company’s EMEA and Asian regions. He also served as a partner at GPW & Co, a political risk, fraud investigations, asset tracing, and dispute consulting firm. He is also a senior advisor to global intelligence and cyber security consultancy S-RM and an independent non-executive director of CRUX Asset Management.
This appointment marks a crucial step in a years-long commitment by the U.S.-headquartered Libra Group to institute best corporate governance practices to support the organization’s continued growth while prioritizing transparency and accountability.
“We are focused on creating a global ecosystem of excellence with strong governance at its core. Richard’s appointment is a critical next step in a corporate foundation that allows us to grow and scale around the world responsibly,” said Manos Kouligkas, Chief Executive Officer of Libra Group.
Based in London, Blaksley will audit the Group’s global ecosystem and subsidiaries to ensure compliance with the highest level of corporate standards. He will also strengthen all areas of risk management for the Group, which is predominately active in six key sectors, including aviation, renewable energy, maritime, real estate, hospitality, and diversified investments.
Over the past year, Libra Group has bolstered its global leadership, including appointing Manos Kouligkas as Chief Executive Officer, creating a Leadership Team to drive corporate governance and support decentralized decision-making, and tapping senior executives with diverse international experiences.
“As an organization, we are deeply committed to growth with good. While we continue to grow, our Group will be guided by an institutional framework that manages financial and non-financial risk and elevates accountability,” said Nicholas Logothetis, Vice Chairman of the Board of Libra Group. “With the appropriate checks and balances in place, we will be able to tap into the limitless potential of our people to grow our ecosystem and reimagine the future.”
About Libra Group
Libra Group is a privately-owned, global business group that encompasses 30 operating entities: 20 businesses predominately focused on aviation, energy, maritime, real estate, hospitality, and diversified investments, and 10 social initiatives. With assets and operations in nearly 60 countries, the Group applies the strength of its global network and capabilities to deliver cross-sector insights and growth at scale, while mitigating risk. Today, Libra’s Social Responsibility Programs include 10 social initiatives created to address unmet needs and grantmaking that helps people worldwide. Throughout its 30 entities, the Group is focused on maintaining its innovative culture supporting human potential, and always delivering growth with good – twin engines that power the Libra ecosystem.