Our committees

The NZSA has a number of committees and interest groups to represent its members in particular practice areas, or areas of interest.  Under each Committee is listed the Committee Convenor, Committee members, Terms of Reference for each Committee and a contact email.

If you are interested in joining any committee or interest group, please get in touch with us by  email

 

Conference Committee

Convenor: Michelle Green

Committee Members: Donovan Stevens, Kristee Hardacre, Shami Shearer

Terms of Reference:

Purpose

  • Organise the NZSA’s biennial conference.

Scope

  • Recommend venue to the Council for approval.
  • Engage the services of a conference manager.
  • Arrange programme including speakers and social events.
  • Manage the conference budget with an objective to break even.
  • Promote the conference within the Society and wider Actuarial audience.
  • Organise registration process.
Code of Conduct Review

Convenor: Christian Barrington

Committee Members: Anagha Pasche, Chris Logan, Cheryl de Joya

Terms of Reference:

The existing Code of Professional Conduct (CoC) has been in place since 1/10/2006.

Council has determined that this should be reviewed and, where necessary, updated. Similar reviews have recently taken in place in the Actuaries Institute in Australia and the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries in the UK. In both cases their CoCs have moved to “Principles Based” standards.

Objectives

The objectives of the review are to:

  • Work through the existing Code to identify any changes that should be made.
  • Review CoC’s for other actuarial organisations to learn what is happening internationally.
  • Ensure there is consistency between the CoC and NZSA rules, disciplinary procedure, and other policy and standards.
  • Undertake legal review of any proposed amendments.
  • Recommend any amendments and propose a new CoC that includes those amendments.
  • Review any feedback from members and, if necessary, amend the proposed CoC

 

Communications Committee

Convenor: Donovan Stevens

Committee Members: Bao An Le, Hayley Haskell, Samuel Stewart

Terms of Reference:

Purpose

The production of the NZSA’s bi-monthly digital newsletter and editorial oversight of www.actuaries.org.nz

Roles

  • Lead editor of newsletter
  • Deputy editor of newsletter
  • Web editor
  • One member representative from each committee/interest group
  • Representative of the Secretariat

Scope

  • The digital newsletter is initially to be distributed every two months i.e. February, April, June, August, October and December.
  • Committee members will attend a meeting approximately every two months with a view to generating content for forthcoming newsletters.
  • Liaison with Council and other representatives of the committees/interest groups regarding appropriate, relevant and timely content.
  • Newsletter content is to be approved by both the Lead Editor and the President.
  • Editorial oversight of website includes generating relevant content. Online content is to be approved by both the Web Editor and the President.
  • Make use of the Secretariat for administrative, proof reading and copy writing tasks
Enterprise Risk Management Committee

Convenor: Deniz Sumengen

Committee Members: Alex Kuhnast, Herwig Raubal, Kate Dron

Terms of Reference:

Purpose

  • Provide guidance to actuaries on good practice in enterprise risk management, including but not limited to the requirements of applicable regulations.
  • Monitoring relevant content of international risk management practices and reporting back to the Society and managing the Society’s involvement with these.
  • Coordinate opportunities for New Zealand actuaries to upskill in Enterprise Risk Management.

Scope

  • Create, review and update professional standards and guidance notes for actuaries working in Enterprise Risk Management.
  • Advise on adherence to relevant professional standards and guidance notes when requested
  • To be responsible to Council for (a) the strategic direction of the profession’s activities in the Enterprise Risk Management arena, and (b) supporting these activities.
  • To identify and promote opportunities for actuarial involvement in the Enterprise Risk Management arena; to support and encourage the growth of actuarial involvement in the sector
  • To represent the views of the Society in Enterprise Risk Management in legislation and related matters such as statutory reporting, risk measurement, regulation and current issues as they arise.
  • To communicate and consult with members of the Society practicing in the Enterprise Risk Management area and the Council on matters relating to Enterprise Risk Management.
  • To identify, in conjunction with the Professional Development Committee, the education needs of students and actuaries working the Enterprise Risk Management area, including organising and/or actively promoting CPD opportunities in this area.
  • To encourage research in areas relating to actuarial involvement in the Enterprise Risk Management area.
  • Liaise with other committees to encourage and promote CPD opportunities.
  • Liaise with committees of relevant overseas bodies as necessary.
Events Committee

Convenor: Caroline Moy

Committee Members: Georgia Knowles, Joann Shum, Leanne Reynolds, Richard Korte, Sabrina He, Sarah Cullen

Terms of Reference:

Purpose

  • Oversight of NZSA’s events other than the Biennial Conference

Scope

  • Maintain a timetable of all NZSA events being organised by members, Committees and Council
  • Organise or request the organisation of events to fill the gaps and ensure an appropriate selection of events are offered to members across the year
  • Ensure there is a spread of events over the year and that they cater to a variety of members
  • Manage the Society’s event budget
  • Make use of the Secretariat for administrative tasks
General Insurance Committee

Convenor: Margaret Cantwell

Committee Members: Anagha Pasche, Andrea Gluyas, Clinton Freeman, Craig Lough, David Wild, Heathcliff Neels, Matt Clere, Peter Davies, Robert Cole, Ross Simmonds, Sam Segal

Terms of Reference:

Purpose

  • Provide a forum for discussion of Society members’ concerns and ideas relating to general insurance.
  • Comment on issues relating to general insurance.
  • Foster good relations with regulators of general insurance companies.

Scope

  • Create, review and update professional standards and information notes for actuaries practising in general insurance in New Zealand.
  • Advise on adherence to relevant professional standards and information notes when requested.
  • To be responsible to Council for (a), the strategic direction of the profession’s activities in the general insurance area, and (b), supporting those activities.
  • To identify and promote opportunities for actuarial involvement in the general insurance area; to support and encourage the growth of actuarial involvement in general insurance.
  • To represent the views of the Society in general insurance on legislation and related matters such as statutory returns, accounting principles, risk, regulation and current issues as they arise.
  • To communicate and consult with members of the NZSA practicing in the general insurance area and the Council on matters relating to general insurance.
  • To identify, in conjunction with the Education Committee, the education needs of students and actuaries working in the general insurance area, including organising and/or actively promoting CPD opportunities in this area.
  • To encourage research in areas relating to actuarial involvement in general insurance.
  • Liaise with other committees to encourage and promote CPD opportunities.
  • Liaise with committees of overseas actuarial bodies as necessary
Health Committee

Convenor: Anagha Pasche

Committee Members: Alex Kuhnast, Jeremy Holmes, Joe Benbow, Peter Davies, Shaun Ashman, Xiao Zhong

Terms of Reference:

Purpose

  • Provide a forum for professional support and development of actuaries practising in healthcare financing.
  • Comment on issues relating to health funding or health insurance.
  • Create and foster relationships with external parties including the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Social Development, NZ Treasury, Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC), Health Funds Association of NZ (HFANZ), and Reserve Bank of NZ (RBNZ).

Scope

  • Provide a forum for discussion of Society members’ concerns and ideas relating to public and private funding of healthcare.
  • Create, review and update professional standards and information notes for actuaries practising in Healthcare financing in New Zealand.
  • Advise on adherence to relevant professional standards and information notes when requested.
  • To be responsible to Council for (a), the strategic direction of the profession’s activities in the Healthcare financing, and (b), supporting those activities.
  • To identify and promote opportunities for actuarial involvement in the Health sector; to support and encourage the growth of actuarial involvement in the Health sector.
  • To represent the views of the Society in Health insurance on legislation and related matters such as statutory returns, accounting principles, risk, regulation and current issues as they arise.
  • To communicate and consult with members of the Society practicing in the Healthcare financing area and the Council on matters relating to Healthcare financing.
  • To identify, in conjunction with the Education Committee, the education needs of students and actuaries working in Healthcare financing including organising and/or actively promoting CPD opportunities in this area.
  • To encourage research in areas relating to actuarial involvement in the Health sector.
  • Liaise with other committees to encourage and promote CPD opportunities.
  • Liaise with committees of overseas actuarial bodies as necessary.

 

IFRS 17 Working Group

Convenor: Ben Coulter

Committee Members: Charles Hett, Christian Barrington, David Chamberlain, Farhaad Kachwalla, Fred Jorgensen, Joe Benbow, John Smith, Jonathan Turner, Leck Tham, Linda Page, Margaret Cantwell, Mark Sim, Michelle Green, Nicholas Warren, Peter Davies, Richard Johnson, Richard McPherson, Shami Shearer

Life Insurance Committee

Convenor: David Chamberlain

Committee Members: Adrian Allott, Ben Coulter, Caroline Moy, Chris Marston-Fergusson, Dayle Noonan, Farhaad Kachwalla, Hamish Farrar, Jonathan Lowe, Lyndon Jones, Mark Sim

Terms of Reference:

Purpose

  • Provide a forum for discussion of Society members’ concerns and ideas relating to life insurance.
  • Comment on issues relating to life insurance.
  • Maintain communications with regulators of life insurance companies

Scope

  • Create, review and update professional standards and information notes for actuaries practising in life insurance in New Zealand.
  • Advise on adherence to relevant professional standards and information notes when requested
  • Advise on adherence to relevant professional standards and guidance notes when requested.
  • To provide a source of reference on NZ Life Insurance actuarial matters for official and other interested bodies.
  • To facilitate taking such action as NZSA may agree in respect of any Life Insurance matter that is relevant to the actuarial profession, in particular changes to accounting standards or legislation.
  • To maintain links with overseas equivalent committees.
  • Prepare submissions on consultative documents released by Government and other bodies.
  • Maintain liaison with any other bodies on issues related to life insurance companies e.g. IRD, FSC, FMA, Accounting bodies.
  • Liaise with other committees to encourage and promote CPD opportunities.
  • Liaise with committees of overseas actuarial bodies as necessary.

 

Member Engagement Committee

Convenor: Sarah Park

Committee Members: Dinushi Jayasuriya, Jason Pushon, Mark Bentley, Melissa Sutjipto, Nicola Thompson

Terms of Reference:

Purpose

  • To support the engagement of current, new and future members in the Society.

Scope

The member engagement committee will:

  • Regularly survey members to get feedback on services provided by the Society to members and action improvements to better support members.
  • Identify areas to improve engagement (e.g. retired members, new qualifiers, new students, etc).
  • Facilitate mentoring of members within the Society
  • Seek and coordinate member volunteers to help support Society activities.
  • Promote diversity of membership across the Society
  • Promote the Actuarial career path to students at universities and schools.
  • Liaise with universities to promote alignment between university courses and Actuarial study.
  • Maintain links with equivalent committees of other international actuarial bodies.
  • Manage applications for Ordinary membership of the Society. (Applications for Fellow and Associate membership will be referred to Council).

 

Professional Conduct Committee

Convenor: Doune Connett

Committee Members:  Brian Lenehan, John Errington, Linda Caradus

Purpose

  • Handle professional conduct complaints and investigations process.
  • Provide guidance on professional conduct to Society Members.

Scope

  • Review and update Code of Conduct and Disciplinary Scheme.
  • Be responsible for the oversight of the professional conduct of members of the Society.
  • Provide guidance on professional conduct to members.
  • Initiate any necessary enquiries into complaints relating to professional conduct and if appropriate institute the Disciplinary Procedure of the Society.
  • Manage complaints made to the Society under the Disciplinary Procedure.
  • Establish the Investigation Team and Adjudication Panel in respect of a complaint.
  • Provide Council with advice if requested on the appointment and nominations for the Professional Conduct Tribunal and Appeals Committee.
  • Provide Council with informal and formal advice as required on the Code of Conduct and the Disciplinary Scheme.

 

Professional Development Committee

Convenor: Catherine Johnston

Committee Members: Charmaine Green, Gary Chadwick, Nathan Thomas, Oliver Bale, Peter Brown

Purpose

  • Developing and maintaining a Professional Development framework that outlines the Society’s approach to Professional Development and what is expected of members.
  • Ensuring members have access to a range of appropriate professional development opportunities to assist members in providing a high standard of professional services to their employers, clients and the public.
  • Monitoring overseas developments and changes to how CPD is managed by other actuarial professional bodies.
  • Setting the programme of CPD activities provided by NZSA.
  • Recommending changes to the CPD Standard as required.

Scope

  • Surveying Members periodically to determine areas of CPD that Members are looking for.
  • Researching and potentially building relationships with other providers of CPD to enable access to that CPD for Members.
  • Administering the CPD standard including making recommendations as to the verification of compliance by Members.
  • Facilitating the publishing of reviews and recommendations from Members on what they did for their Professional Development, and how well it met their needs, for the benefit of other Members.
  • Assisting Members in matters relating to their professional development.

 

Professional Standards Committee

Convenor: John Smith

Committee Members: Fred Jorgensen, Linda Page, Ross Simmonds

Introduction:

The Professional Standards Committee is established as a Committee separate to the Society’s Council for the purpose of managing the process of developing and reviewing profession standards through to approval.  Under the Rules of the Society, Council remains responsible for approval of professional standards.

The Professional Standards Committee is not responsible for writing standards.  This will often be undertaken by one of the practice committees, or a working group of members established for that purpose.

Committee membership will include four experienced members of the Society.

Purpose:

  • To advise Council of Professional Standards to be reviewed or created.
  • To monitor the development process for Professional Standards.
  • To report to Council that proposed Professional Standards meet the agree principles and have followed the agreed development process

Scope

  • Define the principles on which professional standards should be based.
  • Define, publish and maintain a process for approving NZSA Professional Standards.
  • Define and maintain a template for standards.
  • Advise Council of the standards that need review or created.
  • Manage the process for release of standards for consultation.
  • Manage the process for approval of final standards, including recommending to Council that they be adopted.
  • Monitor international developments regarding Professional Standard, including areas that are covered by Professional Standards, and the procedures for setting standards and providing professional guidance.

 

Student Committee

Convenor: Richard Zhou

Committee Members: Claytyn Riki, Declan Taylor, Georgia Knowles, Hayley Haskell, Jasper Struwig, Shawn Sreedhar, William Doherty

Purpose

  • Provide a forum for discussion of Student members’ concerns and ideas relevant to the Society
  • Provide a student voice to Council
  • Organise events tailored towards student members of the Society, including the annual NZSA Future Pathways event

Scope

  • Use appropriate channels to communicate and consult with student members of the NZSA
  • Manage and facilitate events within budgetary constraints
  • Manage student profiles on the NZSA website
  • Act as an initial point of contact for external student queries
  • Keep abreast of actuarial developments and their impact on NZSA students.

 

Sustainability Interest Group

Convenor: Darren Fleming

Committee Members: Christian Barrington, Oliver Bale, Sam Stewart, Sarah Elsey, Shashini Abeygunawardena, Sharmi Shearer

Purpose

  • Provide a forum for discussion of Society members’ concerns and ideas relating to the ongoing sustainability of the insurance industry. This includes but is not limited to environmental sustainability.
  • Co-ordinate the Society’s response on matters relating to sustainability and related issues
  • Create and foster relationships with external parties including but not limited to the Ministry of Environment, NZ Treasury, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA), Insurance Council of NZ (ICNZ), the Financial Services Council (FSC) and Reserve Bank of NZ (RBNZ).

Scope

  • To be responsible to Council for (a), the strategic direction of the profession’s activities relating to the sustainability topic, and (b), supporting those activities.
  • To identify and promote opportunities for actuarial involvement in the sustainability area; to support and encourage the growth of actuarial involvement in this area
  • To develop and propose to Council thought leadership on behalf of the Society for sustainability of the insurance industry
  • To communicate and consult with members of the Society interested in this area and the Council on matters relating to sustainability. This includes publishing in the newsletter the areas the interest group are currently working on.
  • To develop and propose to Council submissions on consultative documents released by Government and other bodies, including legislation.
  • Liaise with other committees to ensure no overlap of work occurs and to encourage and promote CPD opportunities.
  • Liaise with committees of overseas actuarial bodies as necessary

 

Retirement Income Interest Group

Convenor: Ian Perera

Committee Members: Alison O’Connell, Christine Ormrod, Fraser McKay, Kelvin Prisk, Simon Ferry

  • Provide a forum for discussion of Society members’ concerns and ideas relating to retirement income, longevity and related issues.
  • Maintain a calendar of important dates relating to retirement income on which commentary may be appropriate.
  • Co-ordinate the Society’s response on matters relating to retirement income and related issues.

Scope

  • Prepare submissions on consultative documents released by Government and other bodies.
  • Maintain liaison with any other bodies on issues related to retirement income and savings e.g. Commission for Financial Literacy and Retirement Income, IR, Workplace Savings New Zealand, Chartered Accountants, MBIE and Treasury.
  • Liaise with committees of overseas actuarial bodies as necessary.
  • Meet on a regular basis to achieve the above objectives.