Third Party Therapy – Episode 13

AI Unleashed: Transforming Third-Party Risk

Guest: Natalie Druckmann, Head of EMEA at Certa

Host: Mike Day

Episode Summary

How is artificial intelligence reshaping third-party risk management? In this episode, Mike Day speaks with Natalie Druckmann from Certa, exploring how AI can transform due diligence, regulatory compliance, and supplier oversight. Natalie shares her journey from delivery and procurement into technology leadership, before unpacking the real-world use cases that are redefining TPRM—from automating document review to interpreting complex regulations like DORA. Together, they discuss how organisations can move from spreadsheet chaos to continuous monitoring, and from compliance overhead to strategic insight.

Key Topics

• Natalie's path from practitioner to tech leader
• The evolution of TPRM tech: from Excel → platforms → modular AI solutions
• Industry maturity: financial services vs pharma, retail, and defence
• Using AI to analyse supplier evidence, interpret new regulations, and enable 'risk management by exception'
• Why 'process → people → platform' is the right order for success
• Common pitfalls in adopting technology
• The future of TPRM: faster onboarding, smarter risk insight, and human + AI collaboration

Memorable Quotes

“We fixed the problem of not knowing—and created the problem of knowing too much.”

“AI in TPRM isn’t about replacing people; it’s about freeing them to focus where it matters.”

“Process first, people second, platform third.”

Takeaways

✅ Start with why and who, before deciding what or how.

✅ Design your process first—technology won’t fix a broken one.

✅ Use AI for transparency, not black-box decisions.

✅ Adopt a base-plate approach: start simple, build as you mature.

✅ Aim for risk management by exception, not exhaustion.

Links & Resources

🌐 thirdpartytherapy.com – show archive

🤖 certa.ai – learn more about Certa’s AI-driven risk solutions

💬 Connect with Mike Day on LinkedIn for future episodes