The Asia Subcommittee of the International Actuarial Association (IAA), together with the IAA Fund, helped gather actuaries from the Asia region last month for a successful event in Kuala Lumpur. This seminar was held from October 9–10, in conjunction with the East Asian Actuarial Conference (EAAC). The IAA Fund provided bursaries for five participants among the 72 attendees.

IAA President Cecil Bykerk presented on the IAA’s role for existing and prospective member associations. Other presenters included Darryl Wagner, Chair of the Asia Subcommittee, David Goodsall, member of the Asia Subcommittee and Takahiro Nagafune of the Institute of Actuaries of Japan, who presented on the subjects of International Financial Reporting Standards, professionalism and international actuarial standards. A panel discussion on Asian issues was chaired by Robert Fok of Hong Kong and featured Ruth Chu, Chinese Taipei; Eng Kim Yeoh, Indonesia; Teh Loo Hai, Malaysia; A.K.M Elias Hussain, Bangladesh; and Evangeline Crisostomo-Escobillo, Philippines.

The IAA expresses its appreciation to the Actuarial Society of Malaysia for hosting the seminar, the Actuarial Society of Hong Kong for its assistance, and the Society of Actuaries for sponsoring the reception.

This activity meets the objective of the IAA Fund which is to stimulate and support the development of the actuarial profession and actuarial education in actuarially developing countries, in particular where there is no professional association or where the local association is at an early stage of development. To learn more about the work of the IAA Fund, contact its Chief Executive, care of the IAA Secretariat.