Board Member Candidate Questionnaire

Yukki Yeung, FSA, MAAA

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE: Share a personal experience, trait, or characteristic that will help the membership to better understand you and your candidacy.

A defining trait of mine is the ability to bridge diverse perspectives—deeply rooted in my journey as an immigrant. Growing up in a working-class family in Hong Kong, I was inspired by my father’s courageous act—swimming from China to Hong Kong in search of a better life. His resilience and hope shaped my values. These qualities deepened when I moved to Singapore for boarding school and later attended Drake University in the U.S. on scholarship. Living across cultures taught me to quickly adapt and build trust with people from all walks of life.

Professionally, this adaptability enables me to navigate traditional actuarial practices alongside emerging technologies. In a recent audit on mortality assumptions, I successfully integrated perspectives from actuaries, risk managers, and data scientists to deliver meaningful insights.

My ability to connect across cultures and perspectives helps me understand where people are coming from— emotionally and professionally. This makes me not only a strong collaborator, but a representative voice for the diverse perspective of SOA members—qualities that position me to serve effectively and meaningfully on the SOA Board.

PROJECT LEADERSHIP / CHANGE MANAGEMENT: Describe a significant project that you led in the workplace or in your volunteer activities. Describe how you made decisions and addressed changes that were proposed, whether changes were made, or were not made, after considering all options. How did you achieve buy-in in the final outcome, and what were the biggest challenges you had to overcome?

A significant project I led involved developing a Generative AI prompt library to help auditors draft reports more efficiently and consistently. This initiative was part of a global effort to explore the use of emerging technologies in internal audit, and I was the only representative from the U.S. team. The objective was not only to improve report-writing speed and quality, but also to evaluate the role of gen AI in highly regulated environments where clarity, transparency, and professional judgment are critical.

As the project lead, I designed and tested prompts across various audit scenarios, piloted them with internal users, and measured outcomes related to report consistency and time savings. I collaborated with global peers and other stakeholders to ensure the output met the required standards. One of my key decisions was to implement a structured feedback loop, allowing users to flag ethical concerns, unclear language, or hallucinations—issues critical to maintaining integrity in AI use.

To achieve buy-in, I hosted workshops, demos, and roundtable discussions to address concerns and demonstrate value. By tailoring messaging to different audiences—from senior executives to auditors, I was able to align the innovation with their goals and secure support. I also worked across time zones to encourage shared ownership of the solution.

Challenges included skepticism about AI reliability, change resistance, and navigating unknown risks. I overcame these by creating space for honest dialogue, using metrics to validate results, and ensuring the tool enhanced—rather than replaced—professional judgment. This experience solidified my belief that thoughtful innovation requires ethical grounding, strategic communication, and trust—skills I would bring to the SOA Board.

ACTUARY OF THE FUTURE: What does the future of the actuarial profession look like to you? What strategies should the SOA implement to grow the actuarial profession, especially in light of more competition for analytical skills and data science job opportunities?

The actuarial profession of the future will be significantly shaped by emerging technologies such as AI and advanced analytics. Actuaries will transition from purely technical roles into strategic advisors, communicating complex insights clearly through storytelling and impactful presentations.

To remain competitive amid rising competition from data science roles, the SOA should:

1. Enhance Skill Development: Expand curricula to include advanced analytics, AI, programming, and effective communication, equipping actuaries to convey complex ideas compellingly.
2. Ethical AI Leadership: Leverage the SOA Research Institute’s extensive AI-focused research to position actuaries as trusted experts in ethical AI applications across insurance, retirement, healthcare, and regulation.
3. Strategic Collaboration: Secure actuarial representation with regulators and government bodies, advocating for ethical standards and transparency in tech-driven innovation.
4. Social Media Influence: Develop a robust social media strategy, partnering with influential voices to showcase actuaries as respected professionals who solve meaningful, technology-driven problems, attracting future talent.

As the profession grows globally, the SOA must support cross-border collaboration, foster global partnerships, and tailor strategies to meet the unique needs of diverse markets—ensuring relevance and leadership on the world stage.

These combined strengths uniquely differentiate actuaries from other analytical professionals, ensuring they continue to offer unparalleled value in addressing complex societal and business challenges.

Future actuaries must quickly learn, adapt, and blend traditional expertise with new skills, maintaining impact in a dynamic, interconnected world.

INNOVATION / ADAPTION: How has your experience prepared you to lead through challenges such as AI, technological disruption, climate change and generational shifts? How would you guide a knowledge-based workforce, including actuaries, in addressing these emerging issues?

In my current role, I led an innovative project developing a Generative AI prompt library for drafting audit reports, earning me an Innovation Award from Group Internal Audit in London. This involved rigorous pilot testing of report quality and efficiency gains, helping shape our global strategy for AI integration in audit practices.

My experience extends into research and education: In the Abacus Actuaries inaugural AI academy series, I presented on navigating AI bias, which had an impressive turnout. I co-authored the American Academy of Actuaries’ discussion paper on professionalism considerations for generative AI. I also delivered a presentation in London to internal auditors on the importance of emotional intelligence (EQ) in the age of AI—highlighting the need for empathy and human judgment in data-driven decision-making.

I teach data science at Northwestern University and graded SOA Predictive Analytics exams, staying connected to emerging technical skillsets and generational shifts in learning and communication. My research on telematics of driving behavior and oversight of automated vehicle systems helped actuaries prepare for risks related to technological disruption.

I mentor underprivileged high school students pursuing analytics careers and serve on the Inclusion At Work Committee, championing equity and access in my workplace.

These experiences have shown me how to guide actuaries in embracing new tools, collaborating across disciplines and geographies, and staying ethically grounded. I hope to bring this global, strategic, and inclusive mindset to the SOA Board to advance our mission—empowering actuaries to thrive in a rapidly changing world and strengthen the profession’s long-term relevance and public impact.