Description: This article discusses the need for more participation by members in the direction of the profession, particularly in the Society of Actuaries.

Description: Increasing uncertainties and volatility in financial as well as real goods markets increasingly reveal that controlling systems based on deterministic and pseudo-exact values are insufficiently eligible to manage the business activities. This raises the question how management systems can be modified to generate the adequate management impulses in volatile periods. Risk management deals from identifying, evaluating and aggregating chances and risks, which again determine the potential fluctuation range of relevant performance indicators. Everyday corporate life shows that risk management is considered important; but the corresponding processes to identify, evaluate and report chances and risks are seldom part of established decision criteria. This “paradox” lets assume that risks are managed in various differing and unsystematic ways. The combination of traditional controlling methods and risk management is not primarily a methodological challenge. The behavior of the whole organization, practiced over a long-year period, has to be transferred into a new corporate culture of transparent dealing with chances and risks. This paper describes the necessary change management process, which has to come along with necessary methodological modifications.

Description: Stress tests and scenarios are often used as an informative tool to help stakeholders understand the risk profile of a firm. These analyses are often informational only and not directly linked to internal decision-making. This paper describes our approach to integrating stress tests into a regular decision-making process as part of our Own Risk and Solvency Assessment (ORSA). We have implemented a framework and analytical process that both enhances management’s understanding of our risk profile and links that to the development of our risk appetite. In this applied paper, we describe the framework and supporting analytics we established to achieve this goal and the practical implications for obtaining buy-in from senior management to establish this as an ongoing process.

Description: The author explores leadership—what it is, how to achieve it, and qualities of great leaders.

Description: From a session at a meeting of the Society of Actuaries held in San Diego, CA, June 22-23, 2000 This session provided an update on the progress of the American Academy of Actuaries task force charged with developing a long-term strategic approach for marketing the profession to future users of actuarial services and to strategically position and strengthen the profession.

Description: From a session at the Spring meeting of the Society of Actuaries held in San Antonio, Texas, June 14-15, 2004 In this session, the panelists will discuss effective communication and how to communicate, in particular in the context of presentations, with a focus on 'connecting' with the audience.

Description: This article is about not compromising your principles when pressured to do so from internal or external forces.

Description: This article discusses the global capital standards for Global Systemically Important Insurers (G-SIIs) and Internationally Active Insurance Groups (IAIGs) currently being developed by the International Association of Insurance Supervisors (IAIS).

Description: Article from The Actuary, October 1971 – volume 5 - Issue 8 is a copy of the text from a workshop on The Future of Life Insurance presented by George R. Dinney. Mr. Dinney discusses the evolution of the actuarial profession beyond its life insurance roots and asks questions about the role of the actuary in tomorrow's society.

Description: In this discussion, members of the panel, provided case history illustrations of what can be done by way of actuarial service in legislative and administrative matters.