Paul Lewis, currently Chief Operating Officer at the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC), is set to take on the role of Chief Executive at the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (IFoA) on January 6. Lewis brings a wealth of leadership experience from his time managing over 700 staff members at the RSC, which supports a membership of 60,000.
Lewis’s previous positions include directorships at City & Guilds and Cambridge Assessment. A graduate of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, he also holds an MBA and is a Freeman of the City of London. Additionally, he is a Fellow of both the Institute of Leadership and the Royal Society for the Arts.
Kartina Tahir Thomson, President of the IFoA, expressed her enthusiasm about Lewis’s appointment, stating: “We are pleased to welcome Paul to the IFoA at a pivotal time in our development. His experience within a larger Royal Charter body will be invaluable as we continue to grow and modernize to better serve our members.”
In response, Lewis said: “I am thrilled to be joining the IFoA at such a significant moment for the profession and honored to have been appointed as Chief Executive. I look forward to collaborating with the board, members, and stakeholders to advance the actuarial sciences.”
Board chair Lord Currie also welcomed Lewis, noting the upcoming planning for IFoA’s 2026-2029 strategy.
He stated: “Paul is joining the IFoA at an exciting time as we begin our work over the next year to plan our 2026-2029 strategy, which will deliver on the vision set out by our Council.
“Paul will play a key role on the IFoA board in helping to devise the strategy and will be instrumental in leading the executive in its successful delivery.”
