PRINCE2F PRINCE2 Practices Practice Question
Which TWO statements correctly describe the difference between the risk owner and the risk actionee?
⚠ Common exam trap
PRINCE2F often tests the distinction between accountability (single risk owner) and responsibility (multiple risk actionees), catching candidates who assume the roles are interchangeable or that ownership can be shared.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
There can be multiple risk actionees for a single risk; there is only one risk owner
Option A is correct because in PRINCE2 a single risk can have only one risk owner (the person accountable for managing the risk), while multiple risk actionees may be assigned to carry out the individual response actions for that risk. Option E is correct because the risk owner is the person accountable for the risk and its response, whereas the risk actionee is the person who actually performs the assigned action(s) to implement the response. Option B is incorrect because the risk owner need not be a Project Board member and the risk actionee need not be a team member; both roles can be filled by various people in the organization. Option C is incorrect because updating the risk register is typically the responsibility of the project manager (or delegated support), not inherently the risk owner, and the risk actionee may also provide updates. Option D is incorrect because identifying new risks is not the exclusive responsibility of the risk actionee, and implementing responses is the risk actionee's job, not the risk owner's.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
There can be multiple risk actionees for a single risk; there is only one risk owner
Why this is correct
PRINCE2 permits several actionees to carry out the allocated response actions, yet accountability for managing the risk stays with a single owner. This satisfies the stem's distinction by separating overall ownership from the execution of individual actions.
- ✗
The risk owner is always a member of the Project Board; the risk actionee is always a team member
Why it's wrong here
Neither role is fixed to those groups: a risk owner can be any named individual, and an actionee can sit outside the team. It tempts because owners often are senior board members and actionees often are team members, but PRINCE2 defines the roles by accountability, not hierarchy.
- ✗
The risk owner is responsible for updating the risk register; the risk actionee is not
Why it's wrong here
Updating the risk register is a project manager or secretariat administrative duty, not a defining responsibility of the risk owner; the actionee may also update entries. It tempts because the owner does hold overall accountability for a risk, but PRINCE2 separates that from register maintenance.
- ✗
The risk actionee is responsible for identifying new risks; the risk owner is responsible for implementing responses
Why it's wrong here
Risk identification is not the actionee's defining duty; anyone may raise risks, and the owner, not the actionee, implements responses. It tempts because the actionee does carry out response actions, but PRINCE2 assigns ownership of the response itself to the risk owner.
- ✓
The risk owner is accountable for the risk; the risk actionee carries out actions
Why this is correct
Accountability and execution are the distinguishing axes: the risk owner owns and is accountable for managing the risk, while the risk actionee performs the specific actions required to implement the agreed response. This separation lets ownership remain with one person even when tasks are delegated.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official PeopleCert exam blueprint
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