Along with Matt, I wish to say well done to everyone who has just qualified. He and I visited Singapore and Malaysia at the end of last year and had the privilege of meeting some of our new qualifiers there. It was humbling to meet such a talented and enthusiastic group, all reflecting on their achievements so far and the challenges and opportunities that come with what they hope will be long and rewarding careers. I see these sentiments among all our students and new qualifiers, and they are a good reminder of how connected our IFoA world is. Events such as this also reinforce my strong sense of obligation to ensure the IFoA supports those of you who have recently qualified with your career journeys.
I want to thank all of you who joined the Chartered Actuary debate and voted. Whether you voted for or against the proposal, the high levels of engagement showed a huge amount of care for the IFoA and the profession. While I am mindful that the outcome of the vote was not the one everyone was hoping for, the passion and pride in the profession, evident in all the dialogue, was a good reminder that we have much more in common across our membership than not. As we move forward, we will remain sensitive to all perspectives.
The reason for our trip to Singapore and Malaysia was so that Matt and I could meet members, key employers, universities and regulators and hear about their IFoA experience. Matt will speak to you about his insights from the trip in next month’s column. It was a great reminder of the leadership role that the IFoA plays, in line with our purpose of being the voice of the profession and our members. It helped reinforce what is going well, as well as challenges around doing more and building the strong sense of connection and community that our members value, wherever they are.
There is a lot to keep us busy in 2023…
Stephen Mann is the chief executive of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries
