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
  • June 2018
06

Obituary: Brian Harrison FIA

Open-access content Wednesday 6th June 2018

Obituary - June 2018

Brian Harrison, the well-loved and widely-respected actuary, died aged 59 on 8 February 2018. His actuarial career started at Gresham Life in 1979, after he realised that his fledging career in the Navy was not for him. The armed services' loss was the actuarial profession's, and the life insurance industry's, gain. After moving to what was then Friends Provident in 1992, Brian took on a series of increasingly senior roles, including chief actuary and eventually finance director of the life and pensions company. 

The years at Friends Provident were ones of great change, including the demutualisation, listing, and eventual sale of the company. 

Brian was instrumental in ensuring that all these changes were carefully planned and implemented. His calm, intelligent and meticulous way of working meant that everyone involved in these projects always had the utmost confidence that whatever Brian was in charge of would be delivered to a high quality, and on time.

After taking early retirement from Friends in 2009, Brian embarked on a new career as a non-executive director of both Marine & General Mutual and Police Mutual, as well as continuing as a trustee of the Friends Pension Scheme. In these roles, Brian brought a powerful combination of intellect, experience and personal support for the executive teams. He was able to 'cut through' much of the complexity that can surround life insurance company strategy and ensure effort was spent on what was important.

Sadly, this promising new chapter in Brian's professional career was cut short by a diagnosis of cancer. He decided to step down from his roles so as to spend as much time as possible with his family and also enjoying his hobby of bird photography, while coping with the effects of chemotherapy. He was still driving around the UK to spot and photograph rare birds right up to a few weeks before his death, and his friends would always enjoy the tales of mad dashes in pursuit of some rare feathered guest to our shores.

Brian leaves two adult children from his first marriage, as well as Anna, born in 2009 from his second marriage to Lalizar in 2004. His family, friends and colleagues will miss him.

This article appeared in our June 2018 issue of The Actuary .
Click here to view this issue

You may also be interested in...

Births and Deaths

Births and Deaths - June 2018
Wednesday 6th June 2018
Open-access content

All hands on deck

The end of Q1 went out with a bang, with the annual SIAS poker tournament on 14 March, where 65 actuaries and non-actuaries took part. Plenty of food and drink was provided to facilitate rational thinking.
Wednesday 6th June 2018
Open-access content

Learn how to be an actuary 'of the fifth kind'

The actuarial profession is going through a transformation in the age of big data and analytics. Actuaries were pioneers in life insurance, constantly evolving over time and branching into general insurance, finance and more recently into ERM (which was referred to as the fourth kind of actuary by Paul Embrechts in 2005)
Wednesday 6th June 2018
Open-access content

Actuarial Interaction and Challenge webinars

The end of the continuing professional development (CPD) year is fast approaching. If you still need to do your professional skills CPD, join our Actuarial Interaction and Challenge professional skills webinars (each with different content) on Thursday 7 June from 08.30-09.30 at bit.ly/2KcEQdJ and 16.30-17.30 BST at bit.ly/2jLoWvu
Tuesday 5th June 2018
Open-access content

Join us at the IFoA AGM

Our annual general meeting (AGM) and presidential address offer excellent opportunities to network with your peers and share your views with IFoA members and staff who set the strategic direction of your professional body.
Tuesday 5th June 2018
Open-access content

Changes to the Actuaries' Code

Following a substantive review and public consultation, the IFoA has published changes to the Actuaries’ Code.
Tuesday 5th June 2018
Open-access content

Latest from June 2018

2

Motor insurer's profits hit a more than two-decade high

Rising premiums and falling injury claims saw the UK’s motor insurance market record higher underwriting profits last year than at any point since 1994.
Friday 29th June 2018
Open-access content
2

Just one-quarter of trustees confident in consolidating DB pension schemes

Only a quarter of defined benefit (DB) pension scheme trustees in the UK would feel comfortable deciding whether consolidation into a ‘super fund’ makes sense or not.
Thursday 28th June 2018
Open-access content
2

FTSE 350 firms look set to miss 2020 targets for women on boards

FTSE 350 companies will need to give around 40% of all new leadership roles to women over the next two years if they are to meet targets for female representation on boards by 2020.
Wednesday 27th June 2018
Open-access content

Latest from no_opening_image

TPR publishes coronavirus guidance

The Pensions Regulator (TPR) has published guidance to help UK pension trustees, employers and administrators deal with the financial and regulatory risks posed by coronavirus.
Monday 23rd March 2020
Open-access content
web_p24_cat-and-fish_iStock-483454069.png

Sensitivity analysis: swimming lessons

Silvana Pesenti, Alberto Bettini, Pietro Millossovich and Andreas Tsanakas present their alternative approach to sensitivity analysis
Wednesday 4th March 2020
Open-access content
ta

IFoA adjudication panel: Mr Jack Wicks, student

On 30 October 2019 the Adjudication Panel considered an allegation of misconduct against Mr Jack Wicks (the respondent).
Friday 28th February 2020
Open-access content

Latest from 06

2

Motor insurer's profits hit a more than two-decade high

Rising premiums and falling injury claims saw the UK’s motor insurance market record higher underwriting profits last year than at any point since 1994.
Friday 29th June 2018
Open-access content
2

Just one-quarter of trustees confident in consolidating DB pension schemes

Only a quarter of defined benefit (DB) pension scheme trustees in the UK would feel comfortable deciding whether consolidation into a ‘super fund’ makes sense or not.
Thursday 28th June 2018
Open-access content
2

FTSE 350 firms look set to miss 2020 targets for women on boards

FTSE 350 companies will need to give around 40% of all new leadership roles to women over the next two years if they are to meet targets for female representation on boards by 2020.
Wednesday 27th June 2018
Open-access content
Share
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Linked in
  • Mail
  • Print

Latest Jobs

BPA Transition Manager

London, England / Edinburgh, Scotland
£45000 - £65000 per annum + market leading bonus and benefits
Reference
148878

London Market Pricing Contracts - Inside & Outside IR35

London (Central)
£1000 - £1300 per day
Reference
148877

SME Pricing Director

London (Central), London (Greater)
£225K + bonus + benefits
Reference
148872
See all jobs »
 
 
 
 

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

© 2023 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