Henry Onions
Francis
Bacon’s words about holding everyone a debtor to their profession remain as
valid today as 400 years ago. I encourage all members to vote in this
election.
Members’
frustration with IFoA administration remains high and
the IFoA must rise to the challenge of reinventing
itself, ensuring its governance is fit for purpose in today’s world. Crucially,
it must be run transparently by members for members. These are my key focus
areas.
I
am recently retired and able to commit the time to make a highly significant
contribution to members and to the profession by acting for you on
Council. I worked for many years in one of the world’s largest insurance
groups and have broad global, professional, governance and Board experience.
Combined with specific expertise in Risk Management and General Insurance, I
have the right skills and experience needed.
What
I stand for:
· I am proud to be a member of an organisation that is
recognised globally for quality and professionalism.
· I have a deep belief that the IFoA
should be run by members for members.
· I respect the importance of contributions from other experts
in key areas, especially governance.
· I recognise and support the critical importance of a
professional and accountable UK-based administration underpinning the
profession in the UK.
· I see real value in the quality education and wider support
the IFoA delivers internationally.
· I am highly motivated to help drive the change needed to
ensure the IFoA’s reputation for excellence and
professionalism remains high without unnecessary regulatory overreach.
· My lifetime working as an actuary across the globe and across
practice areas, allied to my extensive Board and governance experience, enables
me to make a distinct and valuable contribution as a member of Council.
· My background:
· I have been a member of the IFoA
for over 40 years.
· Starting out in the UK, I have spent most of my career working
internationally in Australia and Switzerland, with several years in
Indonesia.
· I have held roles with specific responsibilities across North
America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America.
· I live in Switzerland, maintaining a strong connection to the
UK, where my children live and work. I retain many active international
contacts.
· After a brief period in Pensions consulting, I worked in Life
Insurance, before transitioning to General Insurance.
· Latterly I worked in Risk Management with global leadership
responsibility for Insurance Risk for a large multinational insurer.
· I have held senior Finance and Risk Management leadership
roles and led major organisational transformation projects.
· Across my career I have undertaken considerable actuarial
volunteering.
· Specific experience:
· I have extensive experience developing and delivering
governance systems, and sitting on and in dealing with
Boards.
· I have held several reserved (appointed actuary) roles.
· I am a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company
Directors, the pre-eminent organisation for Australian Company Directors.
· I was a Council Member of the Australian Actuarial Institute
from 2005 to 2007.
Proposer: Janet Vivienne Moss
Henry’s worldwide Actuarial career is combined with extensive volunteering for UK and overseas Actuarial bodies. This gives him a unique understanding of what members need from their professional body combined with a global knowledge of the best practice for regulation and governance models.
His unique experience is exactly what is needed on Council and his Board and Director level experience will enable him to ensure the voice of the members is listened to.
I am impressed by the pride he takes in his membership and his passion to ensure future members will still have a profession to take pride in.
Seconder: Steven James Wilson
I am supporting Henry’s application because:
• he has the highest standards of integrity, work quality and professionalism;
•he epitomises the standards of the actuarial profession;
• he has extensive and culturally diverse experience and has worked in fields outside of actuarial, all of which is highly valuable in a rapidly changing global environment;
• he is very seasoned and consistently delivers, often in very challenging circumstances;
• he has worked at the highest levels, and engages comfortably with senior actuaries, leaders from other disciplines and international C-suite executives;
• he is a team-player and one of the most genuinely nice people I know.