30th January 2025 – Winter Livery Dinner 9th April 2025 – Court Lunch with Masters and Clerks 20th May 2025 – Annual Mansion House Banquet 3rd July 2025 – Summer Livery Dinner and Installation 9th October 2025 – Autumn Livery Dinner

The weather was perfect as the Master, Gordon Sharp, the Senior Warden, Emma McWilliam, and the Chair of the Public Relations and Communications Committee, Jenny Segal joined other liverymen as part of the Modern Liveries Float on Saturday 9th November for the Lord Mayors Show, celebrating Alderman Alastair King, the 696th Lord Mayor of the City of London.

On 29 September, ten WCA Liverymen exercised their rights as Freemen of the City of London to drive sheep across a London bridge without tolls. Organised by the Worshipful Company of Woolmen, this is a revitalised tradition of the City. With family members and friends looking on, a successful drive was accomplished, and the sheep were returned safely to their enclosure.

Gordon’ Close Shave to raise £5000 for charity As promised in my speech following my installation in Merchant Taylors’ HallI will give you a new (well, a new-look) Master at our October dinner.  I have not been without a beard for many years.In fact, it was last shaved some 50 years ago and our grown-up children have neverseen me without a beard.What will I look like? I would be delighted if you would support my close shaveand together we can raise funds. My target for shaving off a beard of 50 years is to raise £5000.The monies raised are for WCAC to use at its trustee discretion, and I have asked the Trustees if 50% can be donated to St Michael’s Hospice, Basingstoke.

“As a member of the Company, I am grateful for the connection and support that I have received from Freemen and Liverymen of the Company. From Council election support to mentoring from senior volunteers of the profession, I have seen genuine kindness and care. The Company’s mission is consistent with my Presidential theme of ‘ensuring a sustainable future of the next generation of actuaries’ through many initiatives including raising awareness of the profession with school and university students to providing grants and awards. I look forward to continuing the strong partnership between the IFoA and the WCA in my Presidential term.”

On 11 July 2024 in Merchant Taylors’ Hall the 45th Master of the Worshipful Company of Actuaries was installed. The Senior Warden, Emma McWilliam, and the Junior Warden, Derek Newton, were installed also.

Kalpana brings 30 years of business experience in the insurance and investment industry. She was longstanding Group Chief Actuary and Partner at Hiscox until 2016. She is now one of a handful of female Chairs in the insurance industry and a non-executive director of several organisations. She is a trustee for Unitas, a local charity supporting young people. She has Chaired and contributed to committees for the IFoA, Bank of England, Lloyd’s of London and the Bermuda Monetary Authority. In the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, Kalpana headed the first voluntary team of actuaries helping the UK’s National Health Service with emergency analytics and planning. Kalpana is a regular judge for the Women in Insurance Awards and a frequent speaker on insurance and diversity related topics. Over the years she has been recognised for her work by organisations including the Institute of Directors, Financial Times, Cranfield University, Insurance Insider and Brummell Magazine, and became President-elect of the IFoA in June 2022.

Recently, our Charity and the Foundation agreed to join forces and jointly offer two scholarships to students studying an actuarial science degree at an IFoA accredited university. The scholarship amounts to £3,000 per annum for two students from their second year until the end of their degree course. The scholarships are aptly named “Actuaries of Tomorrow Scholarships”.Fifteen applications were received – which included the need for a tutor’s recommendation and a personal video from the candidates – and the selection panel of actuaries Lyndon Jones, Simon Dudley and Masimba Zata made their decision, taking into account academic achievement, commitment to an actuarial career and financial need.The two winners were Jenna Kane and Tegan Banks – both female students at Heriot Watt University.The plan now is to continue this welcome collaboration and offer two new scholarships every year.

Past Master Julie Griffiths and her daughter Lexie descended the heights of the Lloyd’s of London building in the Abseil Challenge in support of the Lord Mayor’s Appeal. The gathered crowd below, including the Master Keith Jones, held their breath as they both stepped out over the lip of the building and descended down. Well done to you both, an outstanding achievement and 105% of fundraising achieved! Thank you to all who sponsored.