We Are Actuaries

Tell us what you thought of this episode! Picture an insurance project manager and a university researcher meeting for coffee. One asks, “What are you delivering, and by when?” The other replies, “I’m not sure yet - that’s rather the point.” Who’s got it right? As it turns out, both. In this episode, guest host Martin Mulcare sits down with Dr Benjamin Avanzi, Professor of Actuarial Studies at the University of Melbourne. Benjamin trained as an actuary in Switzerland, moved to Australia...

Tell us what you thought of this episode! What would you change in the actuarial syllabus? It’s the question that lands every time someone says the syllabus hasn’t changed much since they studied. Simon Guthrie’s answer is refreshingly honest - and it might change how you think about preparing the next generation. In this episode, guest host Martin Mulcare talks with Simon, Senior Lecturer at Macquarie University. Simon’s path wasn’t a straight line. He went from PwC consulting to...

Tell us what you thought of this episode! This interview is part of the “Academic Actuaries” mini-series with guest host Martin Mulcare. You can also listen to the interview on the We Are Actuaries podcast episode number 94. Martin Mulcare asks Dr Fei Huang to share reflections from her experience as an actuary in academia. In this interview, Fei: Reframes the "AI will take entry-level jobs" narrative as a redefinition of what those jobs require, not their disappearance Introduce...

Tell us what you thought of this episode! Here's what I've learned interviewing founders: the ones who eventually build something worthwhile rarely started with a five-year plan. Sam Zheng, my guest today, certainly didn't! He trained as a pricing actuary at Suncorp and Zurich, moved into consulting at Quantium and then, in his words, "for some reason," started building AI companies. Ten years and two start-ups later (plus a 2026 Actuary of the Year award), he's still not entirely sure what t...

Tell us what you thought of this episode! When Michael Lin was promoted from senior pricing manager to the Head of Pricing, his instinct was to stay deeply involved in the work as a Pricing Actuary alongside his new leadership role. Over time, he learned effective leadership is more about creating clarity, empowering others and focusing on strategic impact. In this episode, Michael takes us through the leadership lessons he's picked up over ten years at TAL – not the polished, highlight-reel ...