Puzzles September 2021

As the world prepares to ratchet up international negotiations during COP26, editorially we continue to highlight and support the work of actuaries and others who are contributing to the bold thinking required to solve the climate change problem – and this issue of The Actuary is no different. As Louise Pryor said in her presidential address, climate change isn’t a risk, but a certainty.

One of the best things about being president of the IFoA is seeing seeds that were planted long ago start to take root, sprout and flower.

When we started discussing the 2021 IFoA’s Thought Leadership Series and how we could position it in support of our purpose – that is, to be the voice of actuaries, and to support, develop and be the voice of our members – we knew member involvement had to be at its heart, not least because thought leadership is often described as being when one person’s thoughts are used to lead others.

This month, actuaries will be receiving their annual reminder to renew their IFoA subscription. The IFoA and the IFoA Foundation are taking this opportunity to reach out to the membership, thanking those who have generously supported the Foundation so far and explaining more about the work it has done since its launch in 2020.

Contributions are invited for a special issue of Annals of Actuarial Science (AAS) featuring research on managing the risk of mortality shocks.

As part of our commitment to our members, the IFoA is holding membership fees at 2019 levels for another year. And, of course, members can now access all IFoA online events for free. To help the IFoA support members worldwide – and to avoid late payment surcharges – we ask that members renew before 31 October 2021.