The Actuaries Institute has named Scott Reeves (pictured) as its 2026 president, with the long‑serving actuary using his presidential address to outline a broader remit for the profession across and beyond financial services. In his address, titled “Do You Know Why Your Customers Value You?,” Reeves called on actuaries to look beyond traditional domains and consider roles in fast‑moving consumer goods, manufacturing, utilities, and other sectors that rely on data and risk-based decision-making.
Reeves has spent much of his career as a reinsurance underwriter and has more than 30 years’ experience in senior roles in Australia, Asia, and the UK. He has also chaired the Actuaries Institute’s Audit and Risk Council Committee and its Nominations Council Committee. “As actuaries, we’re trusted to meet the CEO or board's brief and our mandated obligations with precision and high quality. We are in a remarkable position to truly make a meaningful difference,” Reeves said. Reflecting on the role, he said: “I’m honoured to take up the role of president of the Actuaries Institute. There’s never been a better time to be an actuary. The combination of emerging risks, new technologies, and expanding industries means our core capabilities are even more valuable and more needed.”
Reeves pointed to climate-related reporting obligations and the growth of artificial intelligence as areas where actuaries can expand their contribution to boards, executives, and regulators, including within life and general insurance and reinsurance. “Actuaries are uniquely positioned to guide businesses through the new mandatory climate disclosure regime which applies across all industries,” he said. He noted that actuaries’ experience with scenario analysis, capital modelling, and long-term risk assessment may be relevant as Australian organisations respond to climate disclosure requirements affecting balance sheets, underwriting portfolios, and investment strategies.
On AI, Reeves said actuaries could play a role in bridging model outputs and governance expectations. “AI is a powerful tool that can enhance what we can do. Our ability to manage evolving uncertainty is so valuable. AI will displace many rules-based processes. But if you take the outputs of AI and reach a point where what’s required is judgement and depth of insight – that’s where we’ve always played and can continue to do so,” he said. For insurance professionals, his comments come amid growing scrutiny of AI-enabled pricing, claims, fraud analytics and risk models, and of the controls applied to machine‑learning systems that influence customer outcomes and capital decisions.
Reeves’ appointment aligns with implementation of the Actuaries Institute’s Strategic Plan 2025–2027, Reach and Impact in the Age of AI. The document sets out four priorities intended to respond to technology change, regulatory developments, and shifting expectations of the profession. The first priority, “Help Shape Society, Build Our Brand,” focuses on public policy work and clearer communication of the actuarial skill set to business, government, and the community. The second, “Create Value for Members,” centres on support for actuaries at different career stages, including through digital channels.
A third priority, “Enhance Qualifications and Embed Lifelong Learning,” aims to keep education and professional development aligned with emerging needs in fields such as data science, sustainability, and public policy. The fourth, “Create and Seize Opportunities,” includes promoting the Data Science/AI Actuary concept and engaging with the wider data profession. “This is an exciting time for the profession. In the age of AI, actuaries are well positioned with our analytical and strategic thinking to help business, government, and society thrive. We see the many possibilities and opportunities it brings for our profession and more broadly,” Actuaries Institute CEO Elayne Grace said.
According to the Institute’s 2025 year in review, more than 800 volunteers contributed to practice and working groups, education activities, public policy projects, digital content, and events. On the education front, over 1,286 members enrolled in the Institute’s program in 2025, with 2,230 subject enrolments recorded. The institute also ran initiatives aimed at career development, including a Career Support Series and Women Actuaries Connect+ events and workshops.
The organisation made 26 submissions to government and regulators during the year. Topics included economic reform, capital settings in life and general insurance, the ban on the use of genetic testing in life insurance underwriting, and the retirement reporting framework. The year in review also notes more than 230 media mentions, with reported potential audience reach of 34.7 million and an estimated equivalent media value of $2.4 million.
The Actuaries Institute, as the professional body for actuaries in Australia, represents members working across general insurance, life insurance, superannuation and retirement incomes, enterprise risk management, government, and data‑focused roles. The institute describes actuaries as using quantitative evidence to advise on strategy, policy, and product design, and to weigh the interests of policyholders, capital providers, and other stakeholders. Against that context, Reeves’ presidency and the 2025–2027 strategy indicate an expectation that actuarial skills will be applied both in insurers’ established areas of practice and in newer domains such as climate risk, AI, and adjacent data‑intensive industries.
