The Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (IFoA) has appointed Sam Younger as the new independent chair of its regulatory board. He will begin his term on September 22, 2025, succeeding Neil Buckley, who has led the board for the past six years.
Younger brings extensive regulatory and governance experience to the role. He is currently chair of the Consumers’ Association (Which?), chair of the Advertising Advisory Committee of the Advertising Standards Authority, and a member of the Remuneration Committee of New College, Oxford.
Over the past two decades, he has held several high-profile regulatory and oversight roles, including inaugural chair of the Electoral Commission (2001–2008), chief executive of the Charity Commission for England and Wales (2010–2014), chair of the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education, chair of CILEX Regulation, director of the Advertising Standards Authority, and senior independent director across a range of organisations.
Commenting on his appointment, Younger said his focus would be on building on the work of his predecessor and helping to shape the future of actuarial regulation. “I look forward to working with the IFoA board, council and members to deliver our regulatory objectives, ensuring we continue to promote confidence in the actuarial profession through effective regulation in the public interest,” he said.
IFoA president Paul Sweeting welcomed the appointment, describing Younger’s background as “invaluable” to the role. “Under the IFoA’s Royal Charter, we take seriously our duty to regulate the actuarial profession in the public interest by ensuring that our members demonstrate the highest standards of conduct and competence,” Sweeting said.
The IFoA’s Regulatory Board oversees the regulation of actuaries in the UK, setting professional conduct standards, managing practising certificate regimes, and ensuring regulatory objectives are met in line with the public interest. The Board operates independently of the IFoA Council but reports to it on regulatory strategy and performance.
Younger’s arrival comes at a time when the IFoA has been under growing pressure to demonstrate strong regulatory oversight. Recent initiatives have included a review of actuarial standards on climate risk, moves to improve diversity and inclusion in the profession, and efforts to enhance transparency around insurance pricing and pensions advice. Regulators have also been calling for more robust risk management in light of challenges such as market volatility, longevity risk, and the integration of artificial intelligence in financial modelling.
By appointing a chair with significant cross-sector regulatory experience, the IFoA is signalling its commitment to strengthening public trust in the actuarial profession at a time of heightened scrutiny.
