Skip to main content
The Actuary: The magazine of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries - return to the homepage Logo of The Actuary website
  • Search
  • Visit The Actuary Magazine on Facebook
  • Visit The Actuary Magazine on LinkedIn
  • Visit @TheActuaryMag on Twitter
Visit the website of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries Logo of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries

Main navigation

  • News
  • Features
    • General Features
    • Interviews
    • Students
    • Opinion
  • Topics
  • Knowledge
    • Business Skills
    • Careers
    • Events
    • Predictions by The Actuary
    • Whitepapers
    • Moody's - Climate Risk Insurers series
    • Webinars
    • Podcasts
  • Jobs
  • IFoA
    • CEO Comment
    • IFoA News
    • People & Social News
    • President Comment
  • Archive
Quick links:
  • Home
  • The Actuary Issues
  • February 2015
02

It's a GAS in the Gulf

Open-access content Tuesday 3rd February 2015 — updated 5.13pm, Wednesday 29th April 2020

With this year’s focus on the diversity of the actuarial profession in mind, Catherine Love Soper describes the launch of the Gulf Actuarial Society (GAS) in Dubai

2

The Gulf is an exciting place to work as an actuary; insurance markets are still in their infancy meaning the growth potential is enormous, pension schemes are still open and populations are young.

With this year's focus on the future diversity of the actuarial profession, the support we give to the 45% of IFoA members who are based abroad is a high-profile topic. So I was pleased to be able to launch the new Gulf Actuarial Society (GAS) with Derek Cribb, last November in Dubai. 

The new society establishes a community for actuaries across the professional spectrum who are working in the region, and its international membership comes from not just the six GCC states (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia & the UAE) but also India, the UK, South Africa and beyond. Professional diversity and the future is a natural priority; the GAS believes the key lies in supporting today's rising stars. 

I was particularly delighted to come across one such star, Adeeba Al Tamimi. As well as being charismatic and intelligent (she earned a master's degree in Actuarial Science with distinction and is currently expecting to be granted exemptions in CT1-7), Adeeba is the first and only female Saudi IFoA student and before long, she could become the first ever female Saudi Fellow. This would be a distinct and fantastic achievement and - in my view - something that has only recently become possible. 

I asked Adeeba about her experiences and challenges as an actuarial student, and she said the main one was still "the lack of awareness of this field" - something GAS hopes to address.    

"I recall my first attempt to contact major insurance companies [in Saudi Arabia] and ask them about job openings in the actuarial field," she said. "To my surprise, some representatives had never heard of the actuarial field, which meant that my CV never got to the appropriate person. After spending some time here, I realised that you must know an actuary to be an actuary".  

However she notes that "as [the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency] is increasing its compliance requirements of insurance companies... there will naturally be more awareness of this field and more incentives to become an actuary".

She also talked about encouraging more women to enter the profession: "It is a great initiative that the King Fahad University of Petroleum and Minerals offers an Actuarial Science degree, but it is a 'males only' university. Introducing the course to female universities as well is the next step, as it would encourage more women to enter this field."

Optimistically, Adeeba says that she "believe[s] that these developments will take place in due time. There are plenty of capable and hardworking women in Saudi Arabia who will excel in this profession as more local opportunities become available". 

And although the actuarial profession in the Gulf is still male dominated, Adeeba does not "see this as an obstacle, rather an incentive... [the new] regulatory incentives to increase female participation in the private sector" will help too. 

Adeeba shares our enthusiasm for increasing diversity in the profession, and has this advice for those people who are thinking of joining: "the market is thirsty for local talent in this field and it is far from being saturated. I definitely encourage those who have the interest, discipline and motivation to take the leap.

"I started working with Lux Actuaries & Consultants in November and it is proving thus far to be an exciting experience… with great growth prospects!

 "Actuarial skills acquired can be utilised in a variety of non-actuarial roles as well. I believe that studying to become an actuary opens up many doors".


More information on the Gulf Actuarial Society can be found here.

This article appeared in our February 2015 issue of The Actuary.
Click here to view this issue
Filed in:
02
Topics:
Global

You might also like...

Share
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Linked in
  • Mail
  • Print

Latest Jobs

Senior Underwriting Risk Manager

London (Central)
£85K-£95K + Benefits
Reference
124386

Reserving Manager (Contract)

London (Central)
£1200 - £1400 per day
Reference
124385

Life Actuary - Contract - IFRS 17 Financial Impact

England, London / England, Bristol / North Yorkshire, England
£900 - £1150 per day
Reference
124384
See all jobs »
 
 

Today's top reads

 
 

Sign up to our newsletter

News, jobs and updates

Sign up

Subscribe to The Actuary

Receive the print edition straight to your door

Subscribe
Spread-iPad-slantB-june.png

Topics

  • Data Science
  • Investment
  • Risk & ERM
  • Pensions
  • Environment
  • Soft skills
  • General Insurance
  • Regulation Standards
  • Health care
  • Technology
  • Reinsurance
  • Global
  • Life insurance
​
FOLLOW US
The Actuary on LinkedIn
@TheActuaryMag on Twitter
Facebook: The Actuary Magazine
CONTACT US
The Actuary
Tel: (+44) 020 7880 6200
​

IFoA

About IFoA
Become an actuary
IFoA Events
About membership

Information

Privacy Policy
Terms & Conditions
Cookie Policy
Think Green

Get in touch

Contact us
Advertise with us
Subscribe to The Actuary Magazine
Contribute

The Actuary Jobs

Actuarial job search
Pensions jobs
General insurance jobs
Solvency II jobs

© 2022 The Actuary. The Actuary is published on behalf of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries by Redactive Publishing Limited. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any part is not allowed without written permission.

Redactive Media Group Ltd, 71-75 Shelton Street, London WC2H 9JQ