Reputation at Warp: Navigating Brand Risk with Renee Murphy

In this episode of Risk Is Our Business, Captain Michael Rasmussen beams aboard Renee Murphy, independent industry analyst, storyteller, and one of the most recognizable voices in GRC, to tackle one of the most misunderstood dimensions of risk: reputation.

Renee explains why reputational risk remains so elusive for many organizations, and why ERM frameworks often have metrics for finance and operations but almost none for reputation, customer experience, or employee experience. Together, they dissect recent examples of brand turbulence (from Cracker Barrel to Anheuser-Busch to Target) and explore why reputational fallout can and should be quantified. 

The conversation ventures into ESG and stewardship, showing how environmental and social commitments carry enormous reputational weight and why they can’t be managed in isolation. Renee emphasizes the need for risk leaders to engage with every department, especially sales and marketing, since some of the biggest reputational crises are born from campaigns gone wrong.

For boards, CROs, and GRC professionals, this episode reframes reputational risk not as an abstract concept but as a measurable, manageable force that determines whether your organization is trusted or left adrift in the void.