Theo Kocken describes how his upbringing in a large family encouraged his independence.  He drew on that experience to rethink the nature of risks by banks and pension funds.  He discusses how he came to start Cardano Development in response to the need to account for scenarios that generate serious risks.  He points out how his company built models that use derivatives to hedge long-term risks in pension funds.  Theo highlights his work with banks, many of which become far more interested in risk management in the aftermath of the financial crisis. He has combined theory with practice, publishing a number of scholarly articles while working on the practical problems faced by pension funds and more recently with development banks helping developing countries.