Description: Author asserts that actuaries are arguably better at analyzing and interpreting risk than any other professional. The exhaustive exams teach us how to manage risk, not eliminate it. If the profession is to continue to flourish, it will be vital to take this idea and apply it to one’s career too.

Description: Much of enterprise risk management has its roots in portfolio management and corporate finance. The concepts of trading off risk and return and benefits of diversification are well understood and articulated in both the actuarial and economics fields, so I don’t believe there are significant knowledge gaps preventing actuaries from contributing to the field. In fact, actuaries may have an advantage in many situations where a large part of a firm’s overall risk arises from pension activities or other more typical actuarial risks.