About RMS
RMS has shaped the world’s view of risk for over 30 years, leading the catastrophe risk industry that we helped to pioneer.
Aerial view of road through Danxia landform, Xinjiang, China
Company Overview
For over 30 years, RMS has led the way in transforming the catastrophe risk industry, helping organizations make better decisions to improve human and environmental outcomes. By combining proven modeling science with powerful advances in technology, RMS Risk Intelligence solutions enable clients to better assess risk and reduce uncertainty.
In the past, managing risk was the realm of insurance companies. Today, it has become an important undertaking across industries and geographies. And RMS continuously advances this effort. Extreme weather, climate change, and other catastrophes impact all of us. Understanding risk, integrating predictive analytics, and sharing our expertise more broadly are how we’re helping to build a more resilient world.
An Insightful History
From our start at Stanford University to our worldwide reach and perspectives today, RMS has a long history of turning global needs into meaningful real-world insights. Our work has helped companies, governments, and other organizations foster greater resilience decade after decade.
2020
Risk Modeler 2.0
Launched in July, Risk Modeler 2.0 is the leading next-generation Risk Management solution. It’s what cloud-native really means: economies of scale, elasticity, ease of deployments, and security.
2020
Risk Data Open Standard
RMS introduced the Risk Data Open Standard (RDOS), a modern data schema for the risk modeling community, for open-source development.
2019
New Solutions for New Needs
When the 2018 Camp and Woolsey Fires unleashed unprecedented destruction in California, the impact of climate change was clear. The RMS® US Wildfire HD model released in 2019 integrated this intelligence for more actionable insights.
2019
Two Powerful Data Solutions
RMS introduced Location Intelligence API, giving underwriters big data simulations of catastrophe events, and SiteIQ™, enabling a deeper understanding of all hazards facing any property.
2017
Hurricane, Flood, and Fire
For Hurricane Harvey (category 4 storm – Houston) and Hurricane Maria (cat-5 – Puerto Rico), the RMS Event Response Team provided detailed flood estimate maps using our US Flood model. This same year, Napa and Sonoma wildfires led to record losses… until being surpassed in 2018.
2015
First Cyber Risk Model
With cyber risk being named a new top-five catastrophe risk, the company released its first cyber risk model.
2011
Growing Model Importance
Following the Tohuku Earthquake Tsunami (Japan) and increased focus on natural catastrophe risk, RMS released its RiskLink Version 11 North Atlantic Hurricane model, a major update incorporating 20 years of events and $18 billion in claims data.
2007
Climate Change Focus
RMS CRO Robert Muir-Wood was contributing author of the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report. IPCC and Al Gore won the Nobel Peace Prize, drawing international attention to climate change. RMS expanded its focus on climate change and its effect on the frequency/severity of modeled events.
2005
Cat Modeling Certification
RMS created the first training program and certification specific to cat modeling, the Certified Catastrophe Risk Analyst (CCRA®). The designation has gained insurance industry recognition as a symbol of excellence in the field of catastrophe modeling.
2003
First Terrorism Model
In response to the events of 9/11, RMS released its first terrorism model. The company also provided risk analysis for the first-ever terrorism catastrophe bond issued by FIFA to cover the risk of a 2006 World Cup cancellation.
2001
Terrorism Risk
The September 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, combined with growing threats to other targets, fundamentally changed our world and brought the risks of terrorism to the forefront. Scientists at RMS got straight to work.
2000
IRAS > RiskLink
With the initial release of RiskLink® DLM (Detailed Loss Module), the company shifted to a new platform for its modeling and retired the original IRAS software. Modeling was now a standard practice for the insurance industry.
1998
A New Owner
Risk Management Solutions (RMS) was acquired by Daily Mail and General Trust (DMGT), a British media company. By this time, RMS models covered 40 territories. The company also released RiskLink® ALM (Aggregate Loss Module), our first modeling software.
1996
New Company Name
Risk Management Software, Inc. becomes Risk Management Solutions, Inc. to better reflect its expansion into risk modeling solutions and services.
1995
International Expansion
IRAS Version 3.2 expanded coverage with six earthquake models (AUS, CHL, GU, JAM, JPN, NZL), three typhoon models (AUS, GU, JPN), two severe convective storm models (USA, CAN), and a fire-following earthquake model (USA).
1993
First Hurricane Model
With the release of IRAS Version 3.0, RMS offered its first hurricane model (and first Windows product). This version also included U.S. earthquake models. See also hurricane and earthquake models.
1992
Hurricane Andrew
Hurricane Andrew, a Category 5 storm that struck the Bahamas, Florida, and Louisiana, was the most destructive and costliest hurricane at the time. It caused the bankruptcy of 24 insurers and made catastrophe modeling a business-critical investment.
1989
RMS Earthquake Model
With the Loma Prieta Earthquake occurring the same year that RMS was founded, demand for earthquake insurance was growing. The company’s first model – IRAS 1.0 for California Earthquake – was in high demand.
1989
RMS Founded
The Insurance and Investment Risk Assessment System (IRAS) was developed at Stanford by Hemant Shah and Weimin Dong in 1988 as a research project funded by insurers. In 1989, the project was spun off to form Risk Management Software, Inc.
RMS Leadership Team
RMS is led by a visionary team that brings decades of science, technology, and industry expertise to keep RMS at the forefront of risk intelligence.
Karen White
Chief Executive Officer
Reed Birnbaum
Chief Financial Officer
Cihan Biyikoglu
Executive Vice President of Product
Moe Khosravy
Executive Vice President, Software and Platform
Marilyn Mersereau
Chief Marketing Officer
Robert Muir-Wood, PhD
Chief Research Officer
Mohsen Rahnama, PhD
Chief Risk Modeling Officer and Executive Vice President, Models and Data
Michael Steel
Global Head of Business Development
Careers at RMS
Join our team of leading scientists, developers, industry experts, and world-class professionals. Together, we’re creating a more resilient world through a better understanding of catastrophic events.
Corporate Social Responsibility
Our corporate social responsibility mission at RMS is to deliver catastrophe risk insights that enable more resilient communities through innovative and sustainable change.
Work With the Catastrophe Risk Management Leader
