Rethinking Regulation From the Ground Up
At Risk-!n 2026, Philippe Séjalon had the opportunity to speak with Dr. Vilma Nasteckiene, founder of Holistic Business Risk, currently based in Lithuania and Greece. Her perspective on regulation cuts through the noise: before reacting to any new rule, professionals should first ask themselves what that regulation is truly about and what fear or risk event triggered it in the first place.
The Fear Behind the Rules
Vilma draws a direct line between regulatory overreach and institutional fear. She points to the financial crisis of 2008 as a defining example: banking became over-regulated because regulators were scared. They expected a certain risk culture and risk behavior, and what they got fell far short of that expectation. Understanding the origin of a regulation, she argues, is the most important first step any organization can take.
Turning Existing Practice Into Visible Compliance
Her core message is that most professionals are already doing the right things. They plan, adjust, make decisions, respond to changing contexts, and set priorities. They just do not call it risk management. Rather than building new procedures from scratch, the smarter move is to convert existing good practices into visible artifacts that can be shown to regulators. This approach saves time, avoids the creation of procedures that collect dust in drawers, and keeps teams motivated.
Avoiding the Pushback Trap
Vilma also highlights a critical organizational pitfall: the tendency to run business planning and risk planning as separate, parallel processes. When a risk manager asks colleagues to replicate their business planning efforts under a new risk label, it creates confusion and resistance. The holistic approach she advocates integrates risk thinking into what people already do naturally, eliminating friction and making compliance a byproduct of sound practice rather than an additional burden.
Discover Holistic Business Risk
Holistic Business Risk works with organizations to bridge the gap between everyday professional practices and formal risk management requirements. The approach focuses on understanding the context behind regulations, identifying existing competencies and habits that already address underlying risks, and making those practices visible and credible to regulators. Rather than layering new procedures on top of existing workflows, the methodology helps teams demonstrate the value of what they already do well. This results in leaner compliance processes, stronger internal alignment, and a more sustainable risk culture across the organization. Learn more about Holistic Business Risk directly through their team.
