The Distinguished Service Award recognises the outstanding contribution of a member who has been an active volunteer with the Society for more than five years and has contributed to two or more areas of volunteering activities.
2024 Recipients
Ian Perera
Ian is a highly respected professional across many fields of financial services and has been a contributor to the reputation of the profession and role model for actuaries. Ian has had a wide-ranging career across life insurance, banking and wealth management in both New Zealand and Australia and has contributed to the profession in many areas.
Ian is a former President of the NZSA and has contributed to the profession by undertaking significant work some years ago to the development of the Appointed Actuary role and the insurance regulatory regime. In recent years Ian has been Convenor of the Retirement Income Interest Group (RIIG). Alongside other actuaries involved in the RIIG, the advocacy in this area has raised the standing of the profession.
Ian is held in high regard by many stakeholders, and he has supported my developing actuaries in their careers. Ian has consistently promoted high professional standards and good customer outcomes.
Ross Simmonds
Ross has been over a long period, and continues to be, a significant contributor to the reputation of the profession and role model for actuaries.
Ross has significant achievements in achieving a better understanding of climate and flood-related risk, and contributed to the development of more representative, robust ways to measure and manage uncertainty.
Ross is a former President of the NZSA and has contributed to the profession by developing positive relationships with many stakeholders.
Ross helped lead the move of Actuaries away from historical mathematical models in favour of a data science approach.
Ross has supported many students in their careers and whilst President helped grow the reputation of the profession.
2023 Recipient
Andrea Gluyas
Andrea has been a significant contributor to the profession and the wider community over a long period. Andrea was a long standing Council member and became President in 2016. During her time as President, she further developed the profession’s relationships with many key stakeholders and worked closely with the sister organisation in Australia. At all times she represented the profession with enthusiasm and insight.
Andrea has also been a willing volunteer across many areas of the profession and provided significant thought leadership in the profession, including working on various NZSA task forces, writing papers for NZSA conferences, and encouraging other members of her team to contribute papers or presentations to NZSA seminars and conferences.
Andrea has been supportive of many actuarial students and actuaries she has mentored over the years, and she has actively played a part in encouraging younger generations to consider the actuarial profession.
2021 Recipients
Alison O’Connell
Alison is a founding member of the Retirement Income Interest Group (RIIG). Since its establishment in 2014, Alison has been the driving force behind the RIIG’s content production. She has worked tirelessly in driving the RIIG’s thinking by drawing on her own work on longevity and post retirement topics. In addition, Alison has been a particularly energetic ambassador for the actuarial profession in New Zealand. Over the past seven years she has established and maintained strong links with the Retirement Commission, ensuring that the work and thinking of the RIIG was relevant to its policy agenda. Her advocacy has raised the standing of both the RIIG and the Society with the Retirement Commission substantially. Very few members of the Society have worked as hard as Alison has to promote the profession in New Zealand in recent years.
Doune Connett
Doune has been a lifelong contributor to, and role model for, the profession. From the many actuarial students and actuaries she has trained and mentored over the years, to her work on Council, the Life and ERM committees, and most recently the challenging role of leading the Professional Conduct Committee. Doune has also been a willing volunteer to the development of thought leadership in the profession, including working on various NZSA task forces, writing papers for NZSA conferences, and encouraging other members of her team to contribute papers or presentations to NZSA seminars and conferences. Doune has also been a significant contributor in the life insurance industry, with ANZIIF awarding her a Lifetime Achievement award last year. She was also named as one of Insurance Business NZ’s Elite Women earlier this year.
Heathcliff Neels
Heathcliff has been a valuable contributor to NZSA for many years, including as a Conference organiser, a Council member over 2 terms in the mid to late 2000’s, a Paper author at conference, and a Member of the General Insurance Practice Committee. Heathcliff also drafted the investment standard (PS 50) that was created following the introduction of the Financial Advisers Act in 2008, and managed its subsequent removal in 2019. Heathcliff has also been involved in producing various NZSA submissions on topics such as the new solvency standards and on EQC changes. Heathcliff also has mentored numerous students encouraging them to enter the profession and then supporting their professional development. He has promoted the role actuaries are able to play to help manage enterprise risk across the general insurance industry.
2020 Recipients
Brian Lenehan
Brian served for many years as the NZSA’s secretary. He has subsequently served on the Professional Conduct Committee for many years in a vital behind the scenes role. Brian is also a strong supporter of the Society’s sessional meetings and social events.
Ian New
Ian has been a consistent contributor to NZSA for many years, including as President, and returning to Council to fulfil a vacated Immediate Past President role. Ian has contributed tirelessly, including on the Professional Standards Committee, Life Committee, in the area of banking and on a number of working groups.
Whilst President, Ian instigated the External Relations Committee, driving a more outward focus for the Society.
Linda Page
Linda is a great role model and ambassador for the actuarial profession both in NZ and internationally. Linda qualified in the 1990s and was a role model for students and other actuaries with her employer and also within the wider community. Linda reached out to students at Auckland University and promoted the actuarial profession. Linda served many years as a NZSA Council member and becoming Vice President.
Linda has given many presentations representing the professional at conferences and events. She is well respected by stakeholders such as regulators, other actuaries and the many actuaries she has developed and given her expertise to. In her professional career Linda has risen to become CFO at NZ largest life insurer but she has consistently promoted professional standards, the development of actuaries and good customer outcomes. In 2019 Linda spoke to NZSA members about her career at the Career Pathways event and in her usual humble manner put others first.
2019 Recipients
Charlie Cahn
Charlie has been a keen supporter and work horse for the Society, as well as having held a number of prominent actuarial roles. Charlie’s contributions have included the Life Insurance Practice Committee, Council, and as a member of the task force which produced our current Disciplinary Scheme.
John Smith
John has been a keen and frequent volunteer for NZSA, including a long stint as Secretary, and the NZSA representative on the IAA’s Insurance Accounting Committee. He is currently convenor of the Professional Standards Committee.
2018 Recipients
John Melville
John has seen a lifetime of service to the actuarial profession in New Zealand and to the broader industry, including as Government Actuary, key roles assisting Government, as Chair of Workplace Savings NZ and as co-founder of a major NZ actuarial consultancy.
Peter Davies
Peter is a past president who has made a contribution at events, through leadership and membership of a variety of committees and, most importantly, his longstanding facilitation of student exams in Auckland, including offering his own offices.
2017 Recipients
Linda Caradus
Linda is an unsung hero of the profession, working tirelessly on many matters of importance, including being Treasurer of the Society, writing submissions and professional standards. She has served on Council and Committees. Linda has also been a long time supporter of the female actuaries in Wellington
Murray Hilder
Murray was a faithful servant of the profession his entire career. He served on Council, as President and made a huge contribution in the important role of Convenor of the Professional Conduct Committee. He had an extremely successful business career in addition to his actuarial practice, but always stayed in touch with the profession and gave his time, knowledge and experience willingly.