Putting on a corporate suit of armour

Spearheading the Alexander Forbes actuary team from the frontlines, Aimee Langford adds value.
ELIZABETH JOSEPH
Elizabeth Joseph





Margaret Thatcher once quipped that if you want something said, ask a man. If you want something done, ask a woman. Langford shows that she gets the job done.

Aimee has a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Actuarial Science from Stellenbosch University and is a technical member of the Actuarial Society of South Africa.

Before she joined the Alexander Forbes team, Aimee worked as an actuarial analyst at Hannover Re in Johannesburg, a reinsurance company where her prime focus was on life insurance.

“After marrying my Namibian husband and making Windhoek our home, I joined Alexander Forbes as an actuarial specialist and later became head of Actuarial,” she says.

Being the head of Actuarial

Aimee’s team provides actuarial services to retirement funds and companies. This includes analytical work in actuarial valuations, accounting valuations and benefit projections.

“We need to derive solutions ourselves. You won’t find me stuck behind my PC every day, however.

“I believe any good job should challenge you and help you grow both in a professional and personal capacity, and I’m grateful for the opportunities that this job affords me,” says Aimee.

The inclusion of women in the actuarial space

“Males and females are fairly evenly represented, so I think that most of the foundation work in recognising and valuing women in this field has been done by generations before me (and I thank them for this),” Aimee says.

The role she would like to play is to help young people understand that these stereotypes are completely arbitrary so that, with time, they can be abandoned altogether.

Goals

Aimee’s short-term goal is to complete her remaining actuarial board exams and qualify as an actuary.

“My message to the youth is simple. Don’t underestimate the power of a short-term savings account. If you save just a small portion of your disposable income each month, then you can build up funds for emergencies or unexpected expenses, like a car repair or a family funeral,” she advises.

“If you start saving when you are young it becomes a habit which you will probably continue with the rest of your life.”

Fun facts about Aimee

· She bakes in her free time as a creative outlet and has mastered the art of baking macaroons.

· She enjoys camping, as it allows her to see beautiful parts of Namibia.

· Her idea of the perfect holiday is spending time with family and friends.

· She played in the women’s football team at university.

· It took her five attempts to pass her driver’s licence test.