Simeon H. Ling, FSA, MAAA
Consultant
Towers Watson

Simeon Ling was first introduced to the actuarial profession by an insurance actuary who was a friend of his father. As he learned more about the profession, he was enticed by the challenge of taking a series of exams to develop the skills and knowledge needed to excel. Now a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries (FSA) and eight years into his career, Simeon's exams are behind him but he continues to be enticed by the challenges presented by the profession.

A Consultant for Towers Watson, Simeon manages the majority of projects that arise for his clients, large and small, ongoing or ad hoc. His role is to guide actuarial analysts in developing the initial reports and then to work with the firm's Senior Consultants and Actuaries to present the findings to the client. A variety of clients and ever-changing projects have shown Simeon that being a practicing actuary provides a different set of exciting and rewarding challenges than was posed by the exams. Today, one of his favorite challenges is to develop and effectively communicate the complex actuarial results clients need, often on a tight timeline. With regulations evolving on a nearly constant basis, Simeon doesn't expect these challenges to subside anytime soon.

"These changes keep our work fresh and challenging," he says. "They ensure we stay on top of the current regulations and are able to effectively explain how they impact our clients."

Simeon's not sweating these challenges, rather he enjoys them and even credits them as part of the reason he wanted to become a Consultant. While a student at University of California at Los Angeles he took two graduate management courses as part of his Mathematics and Applied Science major. These group projects required teamwork and problem-solving, which Simeon says helped him develop effective communication skills. These classes also led him to pursue a career in consulting, as he realized that that type of environment would enable him to use all of his skills and work on solving a variety of problems. Because of his experience, Simeon encourages aspiring actuaries to conduct their own research on the various actuarial paths as they pursue their credentials.

"Certain fields have developed stigmas over the years which may or may not be correct," he cautions

Today, as his father's friend was for him, Simeon is an ambassador for the actuarial profession and makes a point of taking time to speak with aspiring actuaries through his alma mater, UCLA.