We have entered the global age which is invalidating most of the assumptions upon which our success up till now has depended. For example, in the global planetary society there can be no externalities. Although there is increasing clamour for new ways of thinking, sadly, our attempts to invent such new ways remain trapped in the same historical set of assumptions. The result is that we are faced with three tragedies. Firstly, the tragedy of the commons; secondly, the tragedy of horizons; thirdly, the tragedy of consciousness. In his talk Anthony Hodgson will concentrate on the tragedy of consciousness, as he believes it is that which seriously exacerbates the other two. He will elaborate on three aspects of this third tragedy. Firstly, the way our brilliance at managing the complicated blinds us from seeing how to manage the complex. Secondly, the way our quest for rationality has blinded us to our real presence in the world and our effect on it. Thirdly the way cultural conditioning is preventing us from releasing the creativity that he believes we have to mitigate and transcend our predicament of which the climate emergency and the pandemic are but symptoms. The anticipatory governance and global perspective that we need requires us to be present as conscious beings, to develop other ways of knowing to complement our rationality and the creation of reflexive transdisciplinary cultures in which a whole systems inclusive approach is the norm. Following his presentation, Dr Anthony Hodgson will be joined by Dr Erica Thompson, Senior Policy Fellow at the LSE Data Science Institute and Nico Aspinall, Chief Investment Officer at B&CE for a panel discussion around the themes of the session The panel will be chaired by Tan Suee Chieh.

As part of the Behavioural Science Series, David Rooke will explore the leadership capacities and capabilities that may enable actuaries to successfully navigate the challenges of our times. He will discuss how actuaries can apply these principles to ensure the profession succeeds, flourishes, and plays a positive societal role in our global community. Following his presentation, David Rooke will be joined by Stephen Mann, CEO at the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries and Anusha Thavarajah, Allianz’s Regional Chief Executive Officer, Life and Health for Asia Pacific for a panel discussion around the themes of the session The panel will be chaired by Tan Suee Chieh.

Keith Grint is Professor Emeritus at Warwick University. In this event, Professor Grint will outline how the nature of some of the problems we face within our own businesses and organisations - particuarly those around governance, culture and change - range from the complicated to the complex (wicked). He will share his insights on how these issues manifest themselves and how we can resolve them through various solutions: solutions which may themselves be ‘clumsy’. Following his talk, Keith will be joined by Nick Spencer and Angela Darlington for a panel discussion and audience Q&A.

The world is changing. The fourth industrial revolution, globalisation and the COVID-19 pandemic are up-ending traditional social and business norms around the world; changes that were once predictable and steady are now faster and more profound. In response to this tumultuous transformation, Tan Suee Chieh has advocated a reinvention of the actuarial profession, through the adoption of the IFoA’s Vision, Skills, Mindsets and Domains (VSMD) Strategy, to ensure actuaries remain relevant and forward-looking. As part of the Behavioural Science Series, Dr Helen Wright will discuss how the adoption of ‘The Growth Mindset’ - a learning theory coined by renowned psychologist Professor Carol Dweck - can help the profession to succeed, flourish, and play a positive societal role in our global community in the midst of such change.