This paper presents the results of research into the marketing of the actuarial profession including a SWOT analysis, public awareness and image of the profession amongst target groups (general public, undergraduates, journalists, company directors, pension scheme trustees and insurance intermediaries), and the desire to allocate more resources to the profession's public awareness and image. The paper also contains an analysis of the national press coverage achieved by the profession and reports on developments in North America where a task force on strengthening the actuarial profession has been set up.

The paper was prepared by an informal working party as an introduction to an open forum discussion. It considers from several viewpoints the relationship between the actuary and the computer, both in its function as a calculating tool and as a data processing and storage medium. The paper considers in detail the requirements of the Appointed Actuary for adequate data, the problems of allocating and pricing for computer costs and the increasing uses of computer modelling in financial reporting. The place of computer literacy in actuarial education, future developments and standards are also considered.

It is demonstrated how existing actuarial graduation practice, used in the construction of life tables, can be extended to considerable effect by formulating the techniques within the generalised linear and non-linear modelling framework.