Meet Clar Rosso

The SOA’s new CEO discusses AI, global strategy and actuarial career pathways

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Photo by Joseph Young, SOA

The Society of Actuaries (SOA) is entering an exciting new chapter with Clar Rosso joining as Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Rosso officially joined the SOA on May 4, 2026, succeeding Greg Heidrich, who recently retired. Rosso brings extensive experience leading global professional organizations. She has a strong background with global growth strategies, digital transformation, executive governance and member engagement.

In this Q&A, Rosso shares her perspectives on working with other professional organizations and credentialing bodies, and discusses the opportunities she sees for the SOA.

How would you describe your role as SOA CEO to members?

Clar Rosso: As CEO, I work with the SOA team and Board of Directors to deliver on the organization’s vision and purpose. Together, we develop and execute a future-focused strategy that ensures SOA is people-centered, dedicated to advancing the profession, and provides value to our members, candidates, and the public at large.

A core part of my responsibility is to uphold the trust placed in our profession. We understand what real credibility requires, and we bring the same diligence, accountability, and commitment to serving actuaries that they bring to managing risks and developing solutions for their organizations and communities.

I also will help develop strategies to ensure a strong pipeline to the actuarial profession, and that ASAs and FSAs are well prepared for what the market needs, today and in the future. Most importantly, I want to help maintain and strengthen the SOA’s trusted role in supporting candidates and members throughout every career stage, while providing as seamless an experience as possible.

Finally, it’s my responsibility to protect the esteemed value of the actuarial designations, maintaining the rigor and high standards of our education pathways.

VIDEO: QUICK TAKES WITH CLAR ROSSO

What motivated you to pursue the CEO role at the SOA?

Rosso: I’ve spent most of my career working with professional organizations. I strongly believe in supporting the strength of professions, especially those that have very high standards, ethics, integrity and a dedication to lifelong learning. Those are all key components of the actuarial profession and are very important to me personally.

Additionally, I have great respect for professions that support their communities and society at large. SOA is dedicated to helping members drive solutions to life’s financial risks. I was inspired by that purpose and wanted to learn more. As I spent time with the search committee, I was taken by the great reputation of the SOA. It is wonderful to see how committed members are to the organization and their appreciation for the role the SOA has played in their careers as a trusted ally. All of this aligns with my values.

Also compelling was the SOA’s strategic direction with its focus on optimizing the candidate pipeline, growing globally and leveraging artificial intelligence (AI). Those are areas in which I’ve spent a significant part of my career.

Furthermore, during the interview process, I met with actuaries and university professors and was struck by how important the SOA has been to their careers and in shaping the next generation of professionals.

How do you view actuaries’ role in society?

Rosso: I place a great deal of importance on the work of the actuarial profession. The analysis and assessment of risk, and the financial implications of those risks, help organizations, governments and communities make better decisions in an increasingly complex world.

The skills actuaries bring—rigorous analysis, sound judgment and a deep understanding of risk—are valuable in areas ranging from retirement and healthcare to climate and emerging technologies. Through global research and thought leadership, we can continue to demonstrate the impact of actuarial expertise in addressing some of society’s most important challenges.

What experiences from your career do you envision harnessing for the SOA?

Rosso: I spent more than 25 years working with the certified public accountant (CPA) profession, which, like the SOA, is grounded in ethics, integrity, public protection and lifelong learning. These are core values that transfer to my work as SOA CEO.

I love working with and learning from member volunteers. I have developed my listening skills over the years and know that when working with volunteers, I’m not walking in with an answer. My priority is to listen and find shared solutions.

Having spent decades collaborating with people globally, I’ve learned that needs and solutions can look very different depending on your location in the world, your specific industry and where you are in your career. That perspective has helped me better understand how to meet people where they are and address the challenges that matter most to them.

For example, at ISC2, a member organization for cyber security professionals, our members grappled with a significant workforce gap; demand far outweighed supply. We innovated and created a new way to engage candidates and attract nontraditional entrants to the profession. Our candidate pool grew from around 20,000 to almost 500,000, and in 24 months we awarded 63,000 entry-level certifications to aspiring cybersecurity professionals.

Our success resulted from listening to members’ needs and thinking about how to meet those needs in unique ways. While I have strong fiscal and operational global management experience, know how to drive technology transformation and more, at the end of the day, listening to needs and creating responsive strategies and solutions is one of the strongest capabilities that I bring.

As SOA CEO, how do you collaborate with the Board of Directors?

Rosso: The SOA Board’s role as a governing body is both to guide the strategy of the organization and provide fiduciary oversight. I’ve had one-on-ones with each Board member. I’m impressed by their diversity of perspectives, the breadth of their experience, their commitment to the organization, and their collaborative approach to identifying what best serves the profession, the organization, our members, our candidates, and our stakeholders. They see the full picture.

We’ve had conversations about what we can do better to support candidates on their actuarial journey. For example, we discussed the evolution of the ASA pathway to ensure that new ASAs can meet the demands of a rapidly changing marketplace and that we support the university community at the same time.

I’m also actively engaged with the Board on how we evolve our global and AI strategies. I love that our Board members look at these topics with a wider, professional lens, and not just from a personal perspective.

What new opportunities do you see on the horizon for the SOA and the actuarial profession?

Rosso: There are opportunities to leverage data, AI and education technology to help candidates study smarter and navigate the pathway more effectively. We can use data and AI to identify where candidates are most at risk of falling off and determine the right intervention points to provide support and help them stay on track.

Additionally, the SOA has a strong research capability with the SOA Research Institute. Historically, it has been focused mostly on North America, but we have started extending research to markets around the globe. Building upon that can have a positive impact and create more awareness of the value that actuaries bring to global businesses.

We have a significant opportunity in Asia to support regulators and members as they manage issues around aging populations. Also, as the latest Emerging Risk Survey found, many risk managers and C-suite executives are listing AI as a top emerging risk. There are opportunities for the profession to support businesses widely, not just insurance, as they navigate AI risks.

In general, actuaries play a crucial role in analyzing megatrends and understanding geopolitical risks that serve the global marketplace and society both now and in the future.

What is your approach to engaging members and candidates, and getting in touch with their needs, challenges and aspirations?

Rosso: It’s critical for both me and our team to create two-way communication channels with our members, candidates and stakeholders. While we should be engaging in foresight, we also need to understand and be responsive to what we are hearing from the community we serve.

I enjoy meeting members where they are on their professional journey and helping them find opportunities to get where they want to go. One of the best ways to do that is by encouraging them to connect with colleagues and SOA leaders through virtual and in-person events, as well as volunteer opportunities. These experiences help members build their networks, develop new skills, and take full advantage of the professional development resources the SOA offers, all of which can support their career growth.

I’m also committed to making it as easy as possible to interact with the SOA. The entire SOA team shares this commitment. We are actively working on optimizing tools and processes, so the SOA member experience is seamless. It’s important that we hear from members and candidates when they hit road bumps so that we can remove obstacles and get their needs met.

What are your top priorities for your first 12 to 18 months as CEO?

Rosso: My top priorities are to listen and learn. Foundationally, the health of the organization is also a top priority. The SOA is financially strong, and operationally, we continue to make improvements. The most important work that I can do is to look at our existing strategy and discuss with the Board and organization how it should evolve. We’re on the cusp of a new strategic planning cycle, so it’s important to me to engage our Board and stakeholders throughout our actuarial ecosystem with questions that are foresight-directed for the actuarial profession. We need to think about how we ensure that 20 years down the line, the profession is as strong and well-regarded as it is today, if not more so, and continues to have a meaningful impact on society. Putting the pieces in place to be able to do that is crucial.

It’s also important that we continue finding ways to help our candidates and members leverage AI and emerging technologies to work more effectively. These tools can automate routine tasks, freeing actuaries to focus on what they do best: applying their expertise, delivering meaningful analysis and providing sound recommendations. As a profession with a strong foundation in ethics, actuaries are also well positioned to lead the development of safeguards and promote transparency in the use of these powerful new technologies.

Another important aspect of my work in my first 12 to 18 months is to encourage us to look internally at how we can take friction out of the system for our members and candidates and ensure that we’re providing the utmost value. For instance, we’re taking a hard look at our technology roadmap and how we can optimize it from an operational perspective to make it as easy as possible for members, candidates and stakeholders to do business with us.

Statements of fact and opinions expressed herein are those of the individual authors and are not necessarily those of the Society of Actuaries or the respective authors’ employers.

Copyright © 2026 by the Society of Actuaries, Chicago, Illinois.