ACA appoints new chairman

The Association of Consulting Actuaries (ACA) has appointed Keith Barton FIA as its new chairman, effective from 1 June 2008.

Barton replaces Ian Farr in the role and has spoken of his desire to promote actuaries’ advisory role in areas beyond pensions and general insurance.

The ACA forms the largest national grouping of consulting actuaries in the world and has over 1,700 members working in around 80 consulting firms. Members are advisers to UK pension schemes with assets in excess of £750bn.

Barton joined consulting actuaries Hewitt Associates 30 years ago and is currently scheme actuary to a number of large pension plans as well as being chairman of the trustees of the company’s own pension fund.

Barton says: “For employers and pension scheme trustees, the period ahead is set to be particularly challenging. Aside from the Government’s ongoing pension reforms, which themselves will foster reviews of occupational schemes over the next few years, economic and demographic changes will inevitably drive a further period of change during my term of office.

“The ACA has been very active over the last two years in alerting the Government to the need to do more to encourage quality occupational provision alongside its promotion of low-cost personal accounts. We are particularly concerned that the government’s reforms do not do further damage to existing schemes and that the legislation presently going through Parliament encourages new quality provision.”