The Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (IFoA) has named Sam Younger as the incoming independent chair of its regulatory board, effective September 22, 2025. He will succeed Neil Buckley, who has led the board for the past six years.
Younger brings a wealth of regulatory and governance expertise to the position. He currently serves as chair of the Consumers’ Association (Which?), chair of the Advertising Advisory Committee of the Advertising Standards Authority, and is a member of the Remuneration Committee at New College, Oxford.
Over the past 20 years, he has built a distinguished career in regulatory and oversight leadership, serving as the inaugural chair of the Electoral Commission (2001–2008) and later as chief executive of the Charity Commission for England and Wales (2010–2014). His experience also includes chairing the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education and CILEX Regulation, as well as holding directorships with the Advertising Standards Authority and senior independent director roles across multiple organisations.
The IFoA’s Regulatory Board is responsible for overseeing the regulation of actuaries in the UK. Its remit includes setting professional conduct standards, managing practising certificate regimes, and ensuring regulatory objectives are met in the public interest. The Board operates independently of the IFoA Council, while reporting to it on strategy and performance.
Younger’s appointment comes at a pivotal time for the profession. The IFoA has been under increasing pressure to strengthen regulatory oversight amid industry challenges, such as climate risk, diversity and inclusion, transparency in insurance pricing and pensions advice, and the growing use of artificial intelligence in financial modelling. Regulators have also emphasised the need for stronger risk management in light of market volatility and longevity risks.
By appointing a chair with extensive cross-sector regulatory experience, the IFoA is underscoring its commitment to bolstering public confidence in the actuarial profession during a period of heightened scrutiny.
