Know your risk.
Hello! I am Professor Glyn Holton. My research field is the mathematics and foundations of risk. This website is about that research.
If you are looking for something specific, it is likely one of these:
- My landmark paper Defining Risk;
- My book on value-at-risk, which is freely available online. The first edition was published
by Academic Press in 2003; the second edition was published online in 2013. - Exercise solutions for the book;
- My blog on financial risk management.
I continue to accept a limited number of consulting engagements. These generally relate to high-level risk management strategy, addressing organizational issues related to risk management, or risk measure analytics. Please contact me, if you have a need.
People involved in financial risk management know of me. I worked in the industry full-time for many years before switching to academia. I teach in the Department of Applied Mathematics at Wentworth Institute. I also tutor mathematics to promising young students. My risk-related research continues.
Popular Blog Articles
The Question Every Risk Manager Should Ask
The risk manager slumped behind his desk. It had been a long day, troubleshooting the latest emergency. He was tired. We both were. He was coming to terms—everyone was—with the fact that there would be no bonuses this year. Bonuses were tied to the firm achieving its...
Transform Your Risk Report by Adding Qualitative Information.
A lot of people who receive your risk report never read it. Here is a simple fix: Add narrative, qualitative information. Years ago, a client asked me to attend his firm's corporate board meeting. I got a front row seat for how one closely-held corporation's CEO...
How to Calculate Value-at-Risk – Step by Step
The power of value-at-risk lies in its generality. Unlike market risk metrics such as the Greeks, duration or beta, which are applicable to only certain asset categories or certain sources of market risk, value-at-risk is general. It is based on the probability...
How To Start A New Risk Management Job
You finally did it! You landed that senior risk management position at a fabulous firm. The job search took a while, and the vetting was intense. But you made the cut. They chose you! A bigger challenge is yet to come. Starting a new job is exciting. It can also be a...
A Revelation
I have written about it before, and I am sure I will write about it again. ... how financial risks that devastate firms aren’t random occurrences, as if the gods on Olympus toss dice to determine a company’s fate. No. There are causes. And these are usually traceable...
Fooled By Black Swans
Imagine you are presenting to the board about risk management. The presentation is going well, and you are about to finish up when a board member stirs. He hasn't said a word the entire meeting, so this is his chance to look smart. He asks "What are you guys doing...
Very impressed with the insights that Glyn has in math and behavioral aspects linked to risk management. Glyn has a special skill of simplifying complex math concepts for practical implementation. He is truly a Guru of Risk Managment.
Must Read!
My landmark paper Defining Risk has been cited over 1,000 times. Have you read it?
