Presidential Perspectives with Dr David Knox AM

This interview is part of the “Presidential Perspectives” mini-series with guest host Martin Mulcare. You can also listen to the interview on the We Are Actuaries podcast episode number 84.

Martin Mulcare asks David Knox to share some reflections from his senior leadership experience, including his role as the 2000 President of the Actuaries Institute.

In this interview, David shares: 

-          Why he was motivated to serve as President of the Actuaries Institute, 

-          How a career spanning academia, consulting and public policy shaped his approach to leadership, 

-          Why integrity and trust are the foundation of everything, 

-          The importance of the President thinking in decades, not years, and 

-          His top tip for actuaries aspiring to leadership roles. 

Dr David Knox AM, was a Senior Partner at Mercer and Senior Actuary for Australia until his retirement in 2024.  He was the National Leader for Research and Policy and was the lead author of the Mercer CFA Institute Global Pension Index for 16 years.

Before joining Mercer in 2005, David was at PricewaterhouseCoopers and prior to that was the Foundation Professor of Actuarial Studies at The University of Melbourne.  

David was an independent Board member of APRA from 1998 to 2003 and President of the Institute of Actuaries of Australia in 2000. In 2023 he was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia for significant service to the finance industry.

Our guest host, Martin Mulcare, is a qualified actuary, experienced senior leader and a talented facilitator. He enjoys working with different types of people and he loves sharing ideas. Formerly the facilitator of the Professionalism Course, Martin is a member of both the Australian Institute of Company Directors and the Ethics Centre and is the Chairman of the Board of The Growth Project.

Connect with David on LinkedIn.        

Connect with Martin on LinkedIn.   

Read Julia’s leadership development books written especially for actuaries:

• For new and aspiring managers: "Aspiring Actuarial Leaders: The Modern Manager’s Toolkit"
• For new and aspiring senior leaders: "Senior Leadership: An Essential Guide for Actuaries"

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