8 August 2008

To: Actuaries registered in the Finance and Investment community

Dear Member

Welcome to the initial e-newsletter from the Finance and Investment Practice Executive Committee! We aim to bring you regular news about the Profession, forthcoming events and items of interest to those working in the finance and investment world. Please take a few moments to scroll down and get a flavour of what's going on at the moment. This month, we are including items on:

• Open Forum - The Credit Crunch. 10 September
• 2009 FIERM Conference - Call for working parties
• Weblink to available papers from this year's FIRM conference
• Would you like to be a career model or mentor?
• .... or perhaps an assistant examiner?
• Any ideas for future newsletters?

Open Forum - The Credit Crunch - Practical Consequences for Actuaries. Wednesday 10 September 2008, 5.30 for 6.00 p.m.

The credit crunch - the drying up of liquidity and the corresponding increase in credit spreads - has now been with us for many months. The causes of the crunch have been discussed in detail, as has the outlook for liquidity. However, what does the credit crunch mean for actuaries working in various fields? The implications for pensions and insurance, for assets and liabilities, and for the present and the future will be discussed at this open forum organised by the Finance and Investment Practice Executive Committee.

For further information and a booking form, please visit : http://www.actuaries.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/136106/CreditCrunch20080910.pdf

2009 FIERM Conference (the conference title to be rebranded, although the content will remain as before) Sunday 21 - Tuesday 23 June 2009, Brighton

Would you like to present a paper or to be involved in research for a paper at the annual conference in Brighton? The Finance & Investment and ERM Practice Area Executive Committees are looking for papers, ideas for papers and for working party volunteers on a variety of research projects.

In 2009 the conference theme will be loosely based around looking to re-write the rules – what went wrong and how we might make a new start as we seek to emerge from the Credit Crunch? We should like to know:

• your ideas for papers that you would like to present or hear a presentation on and/or:
• your interest in becoming involved in a research working party.

A list of suggested topics for workshops can be found at: http://www.actuaries.org.uk/practice_areas/finance_invest/topics/firm_conference_2009

Conference papers from the 2008 FIRM Conference are now available on the website

Papers presented in Manchester this June for which we have authors' permission can now be accessed at: http://www.actuaries.org.uk/conf/firm2008.

Further opportunities to claim CPD

We are planning to hold a number of events during the coming months, including networking evenings, at least one Sessional Meeting and open forums. We will also be continuing our popular series of joint events with the UKSIP and INQUIRE. More details to follow in due course.

Would you like to be a career model or a mentor? ....

We have profiles on the website of actuaries who have successfully moved from traditional areas to the world of finance and investment - please see: http://www.actuaries.org.uk/finance_invest/people/career_models. There is also a pool of mentors available to members who want some advise on making such a change, available at: http://www.actuaries.org.uk/finance_invest/people/mentors.

If you would like to be added to either, or both, of these groups, please contact Pat Rustem (email: patricia.rustem@actuaries.org.uk

.... or perhaps an Assistant Examiner?

If you would like to find out more about what is involved, please contact Pat Rustem, email: patricia.rustem@actuaries.org.uk.

Your ideas will be most welcome!

If you have any ideas on what should or shouldn't be included in future newsletters, please drop a line to patricia.rustem@actuaries.org.uk. This is your newsletter, and we want to give you what you really, really want!

With kind regards

Paul Sweeting,