At this time last year, with the development of the IFoA’s 2020-24 strategy in its final stages, we began to revisit what our ‘purpose’ is, knowing how critical this would be in setting our ambition and in the way we deliver it.
Central to our story is the importance of taking a modern and forward-looking approach to our heritage; we must look to the future, but never forget to acknowledge where we have come from. The IFoA’s purpose as an organisation – being the voice of actuaries – straddles both these aspects.
We have the opportunity to use our actuarial science, skills and mindsets to be a force for good, helping to solve some of the world’s biggest challenges. However, we also have the responsibility to do so. One focus during 2020 was to develop the profession’s confidence in taking thought leadership positions on the major matters of the day, and we will look to continue this further in 2021. This, in turn, should help to change and refresh the profession’s reputation, and give our members a real sense of pride in both what actuaries can achieve and the level of trust that people have in us. I know our wider environment sometimes appears to downplay the value of ‘expertise’, but I feel strongly that it is more essential than ever.
Finding our voice here is one of many new opportunities that we must seize in 2021, a year that is already shaping up to be an exciting one. Thank you for your continued support and community – we do not take it for granted.
Stephen Mann is the chief executive of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries
