2018 Board Member Candidate
Carlos Arocha, FSA 2007
Arocha & Associates
Managing Partner
Zurich, Switzerland
Election Message
The SOA has evolved to become the premier actuarial association worldwide.
I would be honored to have your vote and represent you on the Board. As Board Member I intend to give back to the profession, to be part of something that is much bigger than myself.
I am proud to belong to an organization where more than 10 percent of its membership are volunteers. I haven't seen anything similar in other organizations. However, we face challenges in a world that is volatile, uncertain, ambiguous, and complex. In a world of qualitative turbulence.
As one of the very few Latin American members of the SOA who practices in Europe, I have developed insight into a wide variety of insurance practices around the world. Likewise, I have established valuable connections with actuarial organizations, insurance supervisors, and other stakeholders in many countries. I support the following ideas:
- Strengthen interactions on a global scale through the recognition of the global nature of our profession
- Expand into new markets, where the SOA is underrepresented
- Provide a solid curriculum and life-long career opportunities for actuaries
I have served as Chair of the International Section, Secretary/Treasurer of the Leadership & Development Section, SOA Ambassador for Switzerland, Regional Ambassador Coordinator for EMEA, and member of the SOA International Committee and Annual Meeting Committee. Please see my candidate questionnaire for more information about my volunteering at the SOA.
I also volunteer with Actuaries Without Borders, a special section of the International Actuarial Association, where we mentor young actuaries from actuarially developing countries around the world.
I thank you for taking the time to read my message. Please contact me if you have any questions. I hope I can earn your vote.
Brief description of current work
I founded my own consulting practice with the aim to provide cost-effective, creative, strategic actuarial and enterprise risk management consulting. We help our clients in the following areas:
- Support in the compliance with regulatory capital paradigms, such as Solvency II, Swiss Solvency Test (SST), and other solvency capital regimes
- Provision of Appointed Actuary services, under the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority
- Support in IFRS 17 processes and calculations
- Development, validation and testing of risk-based models
- Optimization of reinsurance programs
- Delivery of quantitative risk modeling tools and data management systems
- Expert training through «Swift Academy», our knowledge transfer affiliate
- Provision of Chief Risk Officer services on a consulting basis for companies not wanting to establish an internal role
Our website is www.ArochaAndAssociates.ch
Primary Area of Practice
General Insurance, Risk Management
Bio
Carlos Arocha has over 25 years' experience in the life and general insurance and reinsurance industries. Carlos focuses on Enterprise Risk Management, Solvency II advisory services, Appointed Actuary consulting mandates, development and validation of internal risk models, reinsurance optimization programs and miscellaneous quantitative risk management projects. Since 2011, Carlos has been Managing Director for Arocha & Associates, a consulting firm based in Zurich.
He is passionate about enhancing the potential of actuarial staffs through knowledge transfer and the delivery of tools, modeling platforms and data management systems.
Carlos has worked in companies such as Swiss Re, Mercantile & General Re, Watson-Wyatt (now Towers Watson) and Hewitt Associates (now Aon Hewitt), in Mexico, the United States, Canada, and Switzerland.
He is co-founder of the Swift Academy Project, an initiative that delivers state-of-the-art training knowledge transfer solutions to global insurance markets, Secretary/Treasurer of the Leadership & Development Council of the Society of Actuaries, and Ambassador of the Society of Actuaries in Switzerland. Carlos is a mentor of the Integrated Projects Course, Master of Actuarial Science at Columbia University, New York, and a mentor with the Actuaries Without Borders Section of the International Actuarial Association.
Carlos earned a BSc in Actuarial Science from Anahuac University, Mexico City, and is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries, and a Member of the Swiss Association of Actuaries.
Carlos was born in Mexico City and has lived and worked in Houston and Zurich. He is a dual Mexican/Swiss national.
Visit Carlos’ LinkedIn profile at https://www.linkedin.com/in/carocha/
Additional Information
My biggest joy is my family.
I grew up in Mexico City and met my wife in Houston, where I lived for 6 years. We moved to Zurich about 20 years ago and have raised three beautiful children.
My wife Maru is a Spanish teacher and co-founder of charity that provides help to poor girls in Mexico. She wakes up every day at 5:00 am and is fully devoted to family and work. Regina (22) is working as an intern with Zurich Insurance. I enjoy our conversations and walks after dinner. Michelle (21) is the most creative person I have ever met. She speaks fluent German, Spanish, French, and English. She works as an intern with Warner Brothers. Gabriel (11) is the most beautiful boy. He is passionate about soccer. He wishes to establish his own company when he grows up. He will call it "Gabriel Arocha Helps".
My wife and children made me lose—forever—the right to be depressed.