We Are Actuaries

Tell us what you thought of this episode! Special interview by Guardian Actuarial Leadership Program graduates Jennifer Ng and Peter Whittigan.  In this interview, guest hosts Jennifer and Peter put strategic thinking under the microscope with Alissa Holz, CEO of RGA Australia and New Zealand.  Peter and Jennifer asked:  1. What made you want to move from being an actuary to taking on the CEO role...

Tell us what you thought of this episode! Experienced actuary and leadership coach Lisa Staker shares how actuaries can build an effective professional network. In this interview, Lisa shares:  - Her early struggles to build her professional network as an introvert,  - Strategies to authentically build a successful network without feeling awkward, and - How networking has led to job offers and une...

Tell us what you thought of this episode! Experienced pricing actuary, author and founder of Price Writer, Jeremy Keating reflects about how his experience of qualifying as an actuary wasn’t as easy as he expected. In this interview, Jeremy shares:  - Why he thinks we need to celebrate getting qualified differently, - How his transition from being a student to a qualified actuary was more difficul...

Tell us what you thought of this episode! Experienced pricing actuary and structured communication expert Claire Wang shares how actuaries can thrive in the AI era. In this interview, Claire shares:  - How actuaries can transition from technical roles to strategic leadership by shifting focus from outputs to outcomes,  - Why AI presents an opportunity rather than a threat for actuaries who underst...

Tell us what you thought of this episode! In this interview, Bill Marella (CEO ACTEX Learning) and Julia Lessing (Author of Aspiring Actuarial Leaders: The Modern Manager's Toolkit) discuss the power of communication and leadership skills in helping actuaries build great careers.  In this interview, Bill asks Julia: What inspired you to write Aspiring Actuarial Leaders? Many actuaries are hig...

Tell us what you thought of this episode! After graduating with high honors from the Wharton School of Business, Linley pursued a successful actuarial career.  She quit to raise her 6 children for 19 years in 4 countries.  During this time she worked part-time as a college professor in China and the US, teaching China’s first actuarial college courses, and also earned a master of music degree in v...

Tell us what you thought of this episode! Qualified actuary, motor pricing manager and author Catrin Townsend reflects on the importance of being able to explain what you do as an actuary to others, and how she does this.  In this interview, Catrin shares:  The importance of being able to describe what you do at work, How she describes what she does as an actuary, and A simple process anyone can f...

Tell us what you thought of this episode! Ben qualified as an actuary through the Actuaries Institute of Australia and is also certified as an actuary through the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (IFoA) in the UK. In Australia, he has worked in actuarial consulting across long tail reserving and pricing, perils modelling and government projects. He currently works in the London market for a Lloy...

Tell us what you thought of this episode! Elaine Collins, BSc(Hons), MEc, FIAA, FAICD, is a Fellow of the Actuaries Institute and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. She spent 10+ years in Appointed Actuary roles, firstly with KPMG, then as Partner of Deloitte.  Subsequently, Elaine has spent 10+ years a Non-Executive Director, ten years on the Board of Zurich Insurance, nin...

Tell us what you thought of this episode! Holly Briffa is an experienced consultant and actuary with a passion for transforming data into strategic insights that drive meaningful change. With a background in actuarial science and a career that includes roles at Ernst & Young (EY) and Strategic Project Partners (SPP), Holly specialises in using data analytics to inform decision-making, optimise...

Tell us what you thought of this episode! Dominic is an Associate of the Casualty Actuarial Society. Originally from Jamaica with 13 years of experience in property & casualty insurance and software presales, he is now a Senior Solutions Advisor at SAS where he has been for the last 3 years. In addition to his actuarial career, he is one of the most dynamic content creators in the profession,...

Tell us what you thought of this episode! Sidd is a qualified actuary with the Institute of Actuaries in Australia. He has worked across general insurance pricing, actuarial consulting and currently working at the Australian Government Actuary (AGA). He is working on the Priority Investment Approach, which uses actuarial analysis to estimate Australia’s future lifetime welfare costs for the curren...

Tell us what you thought of this episode! Victor Bajanov is a Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries of Australia and a seasoned analytics leader with nearly two decades of experience in data science. Currently serving as Executive of Product Analytics and Generative AI Centre of Excellence at Quantium, Victor has a diverse background spanning consulting and product development across industries inc...

Tell us what you thought of this episode! Mike has over 30 years’ experience in life insurance, wealth management, pensions and educating actuaries. Whilst in Europe, he led a team of over 30 actuaries covering product design, reserving, embedded value profit reporting and built up a risk management function for a large, multi-national insurer.  Mike set up the Part II program at Monash university...

Tell us what you thought of this episode! Maathu Ranjan is an actuary with experience in the disability, health and general insurance sectors. She is also an award-winning researcher and a recognised leader in the Australian Public Service, having been awarded the prestigious Sir Roland Wilson scholarship to conduct doctoral research at the Australian National University’s Crawford School of Publi...

Tell us what you thought of this episode! Colin Priest is an actuary/data scientist/marketer/communicator/educator who has held several CEO and general management roles, where he has championed data-driven initiatives in financial services, healthcare, security, oil and gas, government, and marketing. With a passion for how humans and AIs can work together, Colin has contributed to Singapore Gover...

Tell us what you thought of this episode! Jeff is the founder of The Actuarial Nexus, an online platform specializing in preliminary SOA exams. He is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries (FSA) and was employed as a Medicaid pricing actuary from 2012 through 2022.    In March 2022, Jeff left the traditional career path to pursue his passion for technology, coding and education, eventually building...

Tell us what you thought of this episode! Jared is passionate about artificial intelligence and its potential to transform ways of working. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries, with a career spanning two decades within the Life Insurance industry. He is currently the Head of Actuarial Systems, Data, and Process Optimization at AIA. His focus is on harnessing AI to boost company-wide produ...

Tell us what you thought of this episode! Win-Li Toh is a principal at actuarial and analytics consultancy Taylor Fry, and Senior Vice President of the Actuaries Institute of Australia. From her childhood in a small mining town in Malaysia to an international career spanning more than 25 years, Win-Li’s diverse experiences have indelibly shaped her approach to life and work.   With a strong focus...

Tell us what you thought of this episode! Naomi Edwards is a highly experienced chair and non-executive director who is also a proud actuary.  She is passionate about the contribution that people with a STEM background can make to boards, public policy and society.  She currently sits on the boards of TAL, Propel Funeral Partners and Yarra Funds Management.  She is the Chair-elect of the Australia...

Tell us what you thought of this episode! Ilan Leas is a founder of an actuarial start-up, retender. He has worked in Australia, the UK and South Africa and is a former Chair of the Life Insurance and Wealth Management Practice Committee at the Actuaries Institute. He has a real passion for encouraging others to try the start-up path, at least once, and has written a book about all the things you...

Tell us what you thought of this episode! Andrew is currently a Director at Taylor Fry and has 14 years’ experience as an actuary in Australia and overseas, advising numerous injury schemes, insurers and government clients in the health and social sectors. He specialises in using advanced analytics to help his clients make better policy, pricing and operational decisions. Andrew has developed soci...

Tell us what you thought of this episode! Dr Jananie William (FIAA, PhD) wears many hats: she is an academic at the ANU, a Research Affiliate with the Global Institute of Women's Leadership (ANU) and Advisor to The Social Outcomes Lab. She worked as an actuary in general insurance before transitioning into her current roles. Jananie now spends her time educating new generations of actuaries w...

Tell us what you thought of this episode! Shivani Juneja is an experienced actuary who has worked in life insurance for over 10 years. She has worked across valuations, pricing, actuarial systems, pricing review, supporting appointed actuary CPS 320 advice and is currently working in a project-based role within the reinsurance and capital space.  Shivani was born and raised in India, where she sta...

Tell us what you thought of this episode! Emma Vitz is a consultant working in general insurance pricing, natural perils and climate risk at Finity Consulting. Originally from New Zealand, Emma studied Psychology and Statistics before pivoting into an actuarial career. She has a strong interest in communicating complex topics in an interesting and accessible way for a broad range of audiences. Fol...