The IFoA celebrates its 600th CERA: The Globally-Recognised Risk Management Qualification, which is seeing record growth

The Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (IFoA) is pleased to announce that Paul Griffin, an Associate Consultant at Aon Hewitt, has become its 600th member to earn the prestigious CERA (Chartered Enterprise Risk Actuary) credential.

Ron Hersmis, Chairman of the CERA Global Association (CGA), is delighted to congratulate Paul on this significant achievement and recognise this important step forward for global risk management. “There is a global demand for skilled enterprise risk management professionals. CERA is one of the most comprehensive and rigorous enterprise risk management qualifications available.”

A CERA, because of their training and experience, can assess and manage the entire risk spectrum of an organisation including financial, operational and strategic risk. Paul and the other CERAs across the globe add value to enterprise risk management through their rigorous training, making them the best equipped to provide a 360° view of an organisation’s risk profile.”

Paul Griffin, Associate Consultant, Aon Hewitt, Birmingham said “I was delighted to hear that I was the 600th UK CERA holder. To hold a qualification that is globally recognised is great, especially as this milestone shows the growing popularity and recognition of the CERA qualification in the UK.

“The broad nature of Enterprise Risk Management (‘ERM’) attracted me to the qualification; it’s a subject that has a very real and practical use in the day to day work of an actuary. The CERA qualification also shows employers and clients that I have the knowledge and expertise to help with ERM programmes and business decisions.

“Holding the CERA qualification will give me a lot of new opportunities. It tells employers that I have the skill set necessary to take on a number of risk related roles within an organisation. As the qualification is globally recognised, it also opens up doors for me to work abroad in other countries where the qualification is well recognised and respected.

“I currently work in the UK Defined Benefit pensions environment, where often pension schemes constitute a material risk to UK businesses – and sometimes even their global parent! The CERA qualification complements this area as it allows me to understand risk management in a wider context when advising clients. As the future of UK pensions evolves, so will the risks and challenges that employers, members, trustees and other stakeholders face. The knowledge and expertise that I have gained through the CERA qualification has prepared me to take on those future challenges head first.”

Derek Cribb, Chief Executive of the IFoA said: “The IFoA is proud to accredit its 600th CERA holder. Actuaries like Paul are the key to maintaining the highest of professional standards across the industry, providing a vital service to businesses, and the CERA qualification is designed to recognise the fulfilment of rigorous and challenging education and training requirements in risk management.

“The IFoA is committed to life long learning for actuaries, encouraging them to extend their learning beyond the traditional actuarial exams. The CERA qualification is a great example of how actuaries can do this and complement and enhance their skill set with a business relevant qualification.”

For more information about CERA visit www.ceraglobal.org