Your Nomination Matters: The Expanding Impact of Actuarial Leadership
Industry topics
Upcoming events
Lifelong learning
Claim your CPD points
The 2025 Actuary of the Year Award is now open for nominations – and we need your help to find this year's exceptional recipient.
Recent winners have tackled pandemic response, social policy, data ethics, climate science and cross-sector leadership, proving that actuarial excellence takes many forms. The core theme? Using actuarial expertise to drive meaningful change.
Do you know someone who fits this brief? Whether they're addressing traditional challenges in new ways or pioneering entirely new fields, someone in your network deserves recognition.
To understand the breadth of possibilities, we reflect on the past five years of Actuary of the Year recipients and how they have expanded the influence and impact of our profession.
When the COVID-19 pandemic reached Australia, Jennifer Lang, 2020 Actuary of the Year, established the Institute's COVID-19 Working Group – which has now grown to become the Mortality Subcommittee. Jennifer provided daily analysis through her platform, Actuarial Eye, and collaborated with the Working Group on frequent analysis published via Actuaries Digital. Her work positioned actuaries as key contributors to pandemic response and demonstrated how technical expertise could inform public health policy.
Jennifer's experience highlights that communication skills are just as vital as analytical expertise.
2021 Actuary of the Year recipient Hugh Miller demonstrated the value of actuarial science in social policy, notably through his development of the Australian Actuaries Intergenerational Equity Index .
Hugh’s research on employment, welfare, disability and homelessness has influenced government policy discussions, while his regular media commentary has brought actuarial perspectives to broader public debate.
His prolific writing – contributing more than 30 articles to Actuaries Digital – demonstrates how actuaries can translate complex data into compelling narratives that influence public discourse.
Hugh's work proves that our profession's analytical rigour can take on challenges far beyond traditional insurance and superannuation.
Hugh Miller presenting at All Actuaries Summit 2025
Taking the award in 2022, Chris Dolman's ongoing work in data and algorithmic ethics addresses timely questions surrounding responsible AI and automated decision-making.
Chris' passion for this issue was highlighted through a collaboration with the Australian Human Rights Commission on the Guidance Resource on artificial intelligence and discrimination in insurance pricing and underwriting, demonstrating how actuaries can contribute to regulatory frameworks for emerging technologies.
The joint recognition of Rade Musulin and Sharanjit Paddam in 2023 reflected their collaborative work in climate risk and natural catastrophe modelling.
Rade's representation of the profession at COP27 and COP28, along with his leadership of the Australian Actuaries Climate Index, has contributed to climate policy discussions. Sharanjit's work with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and his frequently-cited research on insurance affordability in changing climate conditions has drawn attention to the challenges facing Australian households, insurers and the banking sector.
Sharanjit Paddam and Rade Musulin with 2023 President Naomi Edwards
2024 Actuary of the Year winner Jan Swinhoe exemplifies how our expertise can drive transformational leadership across diverse sectors.
Jan's actuarial foundation enabled her to orchestrate remarkable growth as Chair of Mercer Superannuation Australia, where she guided the fund's expansion from $25 billion to $70 billion before retiring in June 2024.
Her training in risk assessment and analytical thinking proved equally valuable in breaking new ground as the first female President in Athletics Australia's 124-year history (2021-2023). This historic achievement showcases how actuarial skills translate into effective governance and leadership in unexpected arenas.
Currently serving as a non-executive director with Swiss Re (Life & Health and Property & Casualty) and Australian Philanthropic Services, as well as serving on the World Athletics Committee with a focus on global inclusion, Jan continues to create meaningful impact across multiple sectors.
Jan's recognition as Actuary of the Year reflects her embodiment of the profession's broader potential.
Many people think actuaries limit themselves to analytical work, but the very nature of our training leads to strong judgment, development of human skills, and, usually, endeavouring to improve the lives of other people.
— Jan Swinhoe
These winners share several key attributes: strong communication skills that translate complex analysis into accessible insights; the ability to engage with diverse stakeholders from media to government; intellectual curiosity about emerging challenges; and collaborative approaches to addressing complex problems.
Don't let exceptional contributions go unrecognised. Nominate an actuary whose work helps advance the actuarial profession's role in addressing important challenges – in short, who uses data for good. Nominations close on Friday, 18 July at 5:00pm AEST.
