The Actuaries Institute has appointed Daniel Smith to president for 2014. He will be joined by former Actuary of the Year Estelle Pearson as senior vice president, and Lindsay Smartt as the new vice president.
Smith, Pearson and Smartt will work with incoming Institute CEO David Bell to promote the Institute’s key policy priorities for 2014, reinforce the actuarial brand and educate businesses and government around the long-term value actuaries can add across a broad range of challenges.
Smith is a member of the Institute Council and is a director of actuarial consulting and analytics firm Taylor Fry. Smith takes over from former president John Newman. Pearson is current councillor of the Actuaries Institute. She will be Institute President in 2015.
“Actuarial education and training provides a unique mix of skills which places actuaries in a strong position to become the risk managers of choice for business, governments and society as a whole,” Smith said.
“As well as maintaining a strong representation in traditional areas such as insurance, Actuaries are increasingly shifting into non-traditional areas such as banking, data analytics, media strategy, natural resources and public health. These will be key areas we address in 2014 supported by refreshed education and development programs.”
The Institute’s policy agenda spans the insurance and superannuation sectors but also demographic change / retirement incomes policy, natural disaster management, health and disability, data analytics, banking and risk management
“The Institute’s key policy priorities for 2014 include ensuring the profession’s voice is heard on the critical issues being considered by the Financial Services Inquiry, offering practical solutions to better manage the social and economic impacts of natural disasters and health funding, as well as continuing to help navigate Australia’s longevity debate,” Smith said.
