2025 Board Member Candidate
Victor Chun Chiu Chen, FSA, FCIA, CERA, FIA*
Credentials: FSA 2010, FCIA 2011, CERA 2013, FIA 2025*
Country: China
Practice Area: Life
Employer/Current Work: RGA
SOA Board Experience: N/A
Video
Candidate Messages
Message One
It is election time again, and we need strong voter turnout to ensure the voices of SOA members are truly heard.
Hi, I’m Victor, and I’m honored to be a candidate for the SOA Board of Directors.
I’m an international actuary with experience across North America and Asia Pacific. I’ve worked in consulting, insurance, and reinsurance, and across all three lines of defense. I have held leadership positions including Chief Actuary, Chief Operating Officer, and director positions for risk management and internal audits. Today, I am Chief of Staff Asia Pacific at RGA, and I am a longtime SOA volunteer.
My career has given me a unique blend of technical depth and organizational insight. One thing I have learned is that real influence doesn’t come from authority, it comes from trust. Progress only happens when people come together, aligned by purpose and mutual respect.
What motivates me is impact. I care deeply about our profession. Actuaries don’t just manage risk, we protect communities, create opportunity, and bring clarity to complexity. We turn data into insight and manage uncertainty with discipline, rigor, independence, and integrity. But our world is changing quickly, it’s not enough to just analyze problems, to stay relevant, we must also lead, and leadership starts with connection.
Being on the Board isn’t about making change alone. It’s about building consensus, aligning around shared goals and creating space for others to contribute. Real change happens when people feel heard, respected, and empowered to act.
That’s how I lead. I’ve led transformations, built cross-functional partnerships, and tackled challenges that go far beyond spreadsheets. My strength lies in building trust and connecting people, across disciplines, cultures, and borders, to solve problems that matter.
If elected, I’ll champion innovation, embrace AI, and help actuaries expand our influence beyond boundaries. I’ll bring international insight and a deep commitment to helping our profession speak with one united, global voice.
And just as importantly, I want future and aspiring actuaries to inherit a profession that is still trusted, valued, and making a difference.
Thank you for your consideration.
Questionnaire
PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND AND VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE: Provide a brief description of your professional background and the type of work you have performed. Please include SOA and non-SOA volunteer and governing experiences including collaborative leadership. Explain how these experiences have prepared you as an Elected Board Member and qualify you in carrying out the strategic direction of the SOA.
I’m passionate about our profession, reflected in my volunteer work since 2011. I served on the Research Executive Committee, now on the Greater Asia Committee. I represent the SOA at the IAA Mortality Forum, and I am Chair for the 2025 APAC Symposium. This is important as it gives actuaries, especially those in smaller shops, a chance to trade ideas and expand their horizons.
I’m the Chief of Staff, Asia Pacific at RGA. I help develop strategy, implementation plans, and drive strategic changes on behalf of the Head of APAC. Before RGA, I held regional leadership roles such as Chief Actuary and Chief Operating Officer, at another global reinsurer. I am familiar with working with the Board and understand its important governance role, balancing oversight and empowering members & staff to achieve our targets.
As Chief of Staff, I prepare materials to drive strategic discussions with the Executive Committee and Board. This may include challenges beyond actuarial work, e.g. digitalization, regulatory requirements, shifting geopolitical situations, talent, and culture. As a Chief Actuary, I presented to boards quarterly, addressing their questions.
An SOA Board member requires higher level thinking, not just immediate needs but envisioning the future of our profession. We must embrace fresh possibilities and not get fixated by the complexity of our daily work.
Some of my recent contributions:
- Research Oversight Groups: For the past decade, I played a key role in the Emerging Risk Survey, helping actuaries stay informed of the challenges ahead
- Projects: As co-chair of the International Longevity Illustrator (online tool to understand, visualize longevity risks), I championed innovative solutions to address social issues
- Event Organizing Committees: As the Chair of the 2025 APAC Symposium, we created a program to engage and inspire a diverse community, broaden our profession’s knowledge, and highlight how actuaries can become strategic leaders
- Frequent Speaker: At various events, I shared insights on generative AI and senior and retirement research, providing updates on key topics
As a Board member, I will leverage my experience to advocate for strategies that balance future and international needs, expand the possibilities of our profession, and embrace technologies to elevate us. My goal is to ensure actuaries remain valued and relevant, providing meaningful opportunities.