Description: Actuaries are lauded for their technical and analytical skills, but aren't so well known for their communication and general business skills. Is this the case worldwide? The Actuary magazine spoke to actuaries from Australia to the United Kingdom and a sampling of regions in between to get their take on the topic.

Description: Discusses the role of the Board of Governors of a typical corporation, and how an actuary can be well suited to contribute as a Board member.

Description: One person's tips on how actuaries can be successful at selling their actuarial services.

Description: This article is about variable annuity products in Japan. Topics covered are the history of variable annuities, product and risk management, distribution, the regulatory environment and the market outlook.

Description: This article describes the shortcomings of a rules–based valuation system and the benefits of a principles–based valuation system. It discusses the concerns that have arisen since the introduction of Canadian GAAP and Canada's current direction toward a principles-based valuation of insurance liabilities.

Description: We are often told that, as actuaries, we excel in technical skills and ethical behavior. SOA member surveys confirm that we believe this to be true. We have also been told that we often demonstrate a lack of business savvy, and in particular, we have difficulty seeing "the big picture." The same SOA surveys indicate that we know this to be true as well.

Description: This article describes the EXCEL Model, a teaching and coaching tool developed by The Flippen group, College Station, Texas and adopted by many organizations. It focuses the leader on the needs of the team. The five components of the model are: Engage, X-plore, Communciate, Empower and Launch.

Description: This article is an interview with Ron Gebhardtsbauer, Senior Pension Fellow at the American Academy of Actuaries about his career and how his passion for serving.

Description: This article examines the changes in U.S. regulatory reserve and risk-based capital requirements that will significantly impact the insurance industry and practicing actuaries. It summarizes activity related to principles-based reserves and risk-based capital initiatives during 2005.

Description: This is an interview with Dave Ingram, FSA, MAAA, director of enterpirse risk managment in the Insurance Ratings Group at Standard and Poor's.