Dr. Roger Miles investigates how humans perceive and respond to risk.
He explores urgent and complex questions:
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Why do well-meaning control measures so often fail?
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How do humans consistently outwit artificial intelligence?
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And how can we prevent human-factor risks from derailing planned outcomes?
Through close collaboration with senior leaders, Roger uncovers practical and forward-thinking approaches to managing uncertainty. As a result, organisations gain clearer thinking and stronger decision-making – especially under stress.
Over the years, he has delivered hundreds of acclaimed, hands-on risk workshops and many keynotes. These sessions measurably boosted engagement across sectors, including business, government, and industry groups. Whether through keynotes, board briefings, or roundtables, Roger helps leaders and teams rethink their responses to risk in real-world scenarios.
After degrees from Oxford University, Roger trained as an auditor with a Big Four firm. From there, he rose rapidly to Partner and Board Director roles in global consultancies, advising major UK, US, and EU companies on brand value protection and financial market events. He moved on to lead industry dialogues with regulators and to run risk communication initiatives for HM Government, working with senior leaders in Parliament, defence, and emergency services on national strategies for public safety and hazard response.
Notably, Roger earned his PhD from King’s College London for his ground-breaking research into behavioural risk in commercial markets. He directly observed how senior bankers manipulated regulations in the early 2000s. Based on these findings, he warned that governments would need to adopt behaviour-based regulation. In 2008, a global financial crisis hit – confirming his predictions. Since then, he has played an influential role in designing behaviour-driven controls and reshaping Risk Culture across industries worldwide.
Alongside his industry work, Roger lectures on risk perception and communication at leading business schools, including those in London, Oxford, and Cambridge. His academic involvement has further reinforced his reputation as a global authority in human risk behaviour.
Today, Roger continues to drive innovation in risk understanding. He is behavioural risk content lead for Unlocked, a global video learning platform. During his teaching at government senior leadership academies, his students have included Cabinet Ministers, captains of industry, senior civil servants, emergency response chiefs, and leaders from all three military services. His work with UK Defence Academy has included serving as lead examiner (Risk) for MBA and MSc candidates.
Roger’s insights appear across a wide range of media platforms and professional journals. He contributes regularly to the Psychology Encyclopaedia of the LSE’s Behavioral Economics Guides and to Thomson Reuters’ risk intelligence briefings. In addition, his writing is featured in Financial Times, Risk Books and Board Matters. His work is also featured in best-practice guidance for accountants (FRC, ACCA) and lawyers (The Law Society, CEP). Showing his range, his research has also appeared in the bestselling book Watching the English and the global hit TV series Prime Suspect.
His latest practical handbooks – Culture Audit and Conduct Risk – are published by Kogan Page, getting rave reviews from business risk-takers around the world.
Popular Keynote Topics Include:
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Humans vs AI – What’s Our Competitive Edge?
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It’s the People, Not the Systems – A Better Way To Avoid Cyber Attack
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Taking Risks, Better
