CIA Legacy Awards

Alana Farrell joined the Canadian Institute of Actuaries in 1997, marking the beginning of her commitment to lifelong learning and personal growth. As an actuary working in the property and casualty field, she achieved her FCIA status in 1999, demonstrating her dedication to her profession. However, Alana’s passion extended beyond her professional endeavors; she embraced volunteerism as an integral part of her life’s mission.

Since 2003, Alana has devoted herself to numerous volunteer roles within the CIA, completing 13 terms of service. Her involvement in groups like the Climate Change Sustainability Steering Committee, International Affairs Council, and the Environmental Scanning, Communications and Member Engagement Committee reflects her zeal for broadening her knowledge and experience while contributing positively to the actuarial community.

Known for her ability to foster engaging discussions and share innovative ideas, her input has been instrumental in recommending improvements to the CIA Volunteer Onboarding and Chair Orientation series through the Volunteer Engagement and Development Advisory Group. Her drive for creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for fellow actuaries is a testament to her resolve to champion progress within the actuarial profession and her compassionate nature.

Denise Cheung has close to 20 years of experience in the P&C field in Canada. Her career is defined by a deep commitment to professional growth and advancing the actuarial profession.

Since 2005, Denise has been working in various areas of actuarial practice, specializing in reserving, pricing and predictive analytics. She has demonstrated a steadfast dedication to staying up to date with the latest industry developments.

Denise’s contribution extends beyond her professional roles. She has actively volunteered with the CIA, completing an impressive 12 terms of service across various groups These include the Research Committee’s P&C Research Subcommittee, the Property and Casualty Insurance Financial Reporting Committee, and the Climate Change and Sustainability Practice Committee. Notably, Denise now leads the Property and Liability Risk Research Committee, showcasing her leadership and well-rounded expertise in the P&C field.

Through her volunteerism, Denise has expanded her network and engaged with actuaries from diverse backgrounds, enriching her perspective and fostering collaboration. She is committed to continue to use her expertise to advance the profession.

Faisal Siddiqi graduated from the University of Waterloo with a Bachelor of Mathematics in Actuarial Science and Statistics (Dean’s Honours List) in 1991 and dove headfirst into the world of pensions. He mastered pension funding, accounting, design, compliance, administration and asset liability management. Now, with more than 30 years of experience under his belt, Faisal has been a driving force for progress in his field and has acted as a mentor and advisor to many pension actuaries who he has had the pleasure to work with.

After receiving his FCIA in 1996, Faisal devoted his time to various volunteer groups within the CIA, completing an impressive 13 terms of service. His passion for volunteering and pensions led him to advocate for changes in industry standards, where he played a pivotal role in leading the Task Force on Pension Plan Excess Surplus Issues. He also participated on CIA’s Program Committee, helping to organize many pension sessions over the years. More recently, he contributed to updating guidance materials to align with current standards, drawing upon his experiences chairing both the Practice Council and Actuarial Guidance Council during his volunteer journey.

Through his volunteer work, Faisal gained invaluable insights and knowledge about the pension industry. He generously shares his pension expertise through lecturing at colleges and universities and presenting at numerous pension industry conferences over the years – including the CIA’s Pension and Investment Seminar. His passion for pensions and investments shines through as he inspires others to explore and excel in this field.

Jean-Yves Rioux holds more than 30 years of actuarial experience working in the insurance field. Driven by an unwavering passion for enterprise risk management (ERM) and predictive analytics, Jean-Yves has actively sought out opportunities to leave a mark on these domains. His commitment to advancing the actuarial profession is evident through his involvement with the Canadian Institute of Actuaries and the Society of Actuaries.

Since his first volunteer role with the CIA in 2007, Jean-Yves has reached 12 terms of service, occupying various leadership positions along the way. His volunteer endeavours have enabled him to not only develop and apply his skills in goal setting and strategic planning, but also foster collaboration among fellow actuaries, thereby enriching his insights across different areas of practice. Particularly noteworthy is his role in leading initiatives aimed at elevating the profile of actuaries within the realms of ERM and predictive modelling, notably through his contributions on committees such as the Enterprise Risk Management Applications Committee.

Renowned for his ability to lead, Jean-Yves has chaired instrumental working groups such as the Committee on Life Insurance Financial Reporting (CLIFR) Working Group, which played a pivotal role in formulating recommendations for interest rate calibration requirements crucial for Canadian Asset Liability Method modelling. Reflecting on his involvement with the CLIFR Working Group, Jean-Yves considers it a highlight of his volunteer journey, as it provided him with the opportunity to present recommendations to the Actuarial Standards Board, subsequently influencing the promulgation of the Standards of Practice.

Leslie Rehbeli is a seasoned actuarial professional, specializing in life insurance consultancy as a partner at Oliver Wyman. Passionate about financial reporting, Les’s journey in the actuarial realm began with volunteering at the Canadian Institute of Actuaries in 1999, a commitment that spanned 14 terms of service.

His involvement on various committees, particularly those focusing on financial reporting such as the Committee on Life Insurance Financial Reporting, were opportunities for the CIA to learn from his invaluable insights into intricate issues within the actuarial profession. Through active participation in related groups, Les honed his technical skills in financial reporting and capital/risk management while immersing himself in diverse actuarial practices on a global scale.

The implementation of IFRS 17 marked a significant milestone in Les’s volunteer journey, requiring extensive multi-year efforts across many CIA committees. Renowned as a leader in the field of financial reporting, Les spearheaded the development of guidance for CIA members involved with IFRS 17. Serving as Co-Chair of the IFRS 17 Steering Committee, he fondly recalls his collaborative effort with diverse teams to draft comprehensive guidance, showcasing his ability to foster teamwork in the advancement of the profession.

Les’s instrumental role in bringing this ambitious project to fruition is etched in good memories of his colleagues across various groups. We look forward to hearing similar stories as he continues to contribute his time and expertise to initiatives that strengthen our profession.

Pierre-Paul Renaud, known for his collaborative spirit, embarked on his first volunteer role with the Canadian Institute of Actuaries in 1996. Since then, Pierre-Paul has been actively engaged on a multitude of councils, committees and task forces, completing 12 terms of service.

Motivated by a desire to expand his professional network and keep learning, Pierre-Paul’s volunteer journey has been marked by a passion for collaboration and knowledge sharing. Notably, his involvement on various task forces, such as the Task Force to Update Guidance, enabled him to collaborate with peers in identifying necessary changes to the Standards of Practice in light of the introduction of IFRS 17. His experience with guidance materials led him to join the Actuarial Guidance Council, where he continued to contribute ideas aimed at advancing the profession.

Pierre-Paul’s passion for risk management also drove him to dedicate his volunteer efforts to groups like the Committee on Risk Management and Capital Requirements. There, he used his expertise to help further develop actuarial techniques in this practice area.

Robert Berendsen’s volunteer journey is a testament to his passion for tackling challenging projects and contributing to the field of actuarial consulting. With a career spanning over 25 years at Oliver Wyman, he has consistently demonstrated his expertise and dedication to the life insurance sector. He has taken on diverse challenges, including building economic capital frameworks and stochastic models for segregated funds investment guarantees in the late 1990s, facilitating numerous mergers and acquisitions and guiding insurers through the transition to IFRS 17.

Robert’s commitment to collaboration and building meaningful relationships led him to volunteer with the CIA in 1999, marking the beginning of his 12 terms of service. His dedication to the actuarial profession was exemplified during his term on the International Actuarial Association’s Insurance Accounting Committee. This experience allowed him to appreciate diverse perspectives from actuaries worldwide, attending meetings in Japan and Australia.

One of Robert’s notable achievements is chairing the Organizing Committee for the Stochastic Modelling Symposium. In this role, he collaborated with a diverse group to solicit, collect and evaluate research on stochastic modelling, ultimately presenting the findings at the symposium. This experience not only showcased his leadership abilities but also highlighted his passion for advancing the profession through collaborative endeavours.

Robert’s volunteer experiences have been far from dull. He has been consistently faced with new challenges and initiatives, which has honed his communication and consensus-building skills. These skills continue to enable him to serve.

Steve Bocking brings more than 20 years of expertise in pricing, valuation and corporate affairs to the forefront of the actuarial realm. His journey as a leader in volunteer initiatives has left an indelible mark on the industry.

Inspired by witnessing the impactful contributions of others within the CIA, Steve embarked on a volunteer journey that has spanned 13 terms of service since 2013. His passion for giving back and recognizing the vital role of volunteers within the CIA has been a driving force in his commitment to service.

Throughout his tenure, Steve has seized every opportunity to engage with diverse forums and groups, from small committees to boards and councils such as the Actuarial Guidance Council and the Actuarial Standards Board (ASB). Among his proudest achievements is leading initiatives like the ASB’s Designated Group on Review of the Promulgation of the URR (ultimate reinvestment rate) and co-chairing the Committee on Life Insurance Financial Reporting (CLIFR) during the transition to IFRS 17.

An example of Steve’s unwavering drive to advance the profession is his involvement in the implementation of IFRS 17. Under his dynamic leadership of CLIFR during this crucial period, strong guidance and tools were developed to aid in a smooth transition. It’s also from his involvement in this major change that Steve has forged valuable and long-lasting relationships with his peers.