Episode 45: STEM Skills for Good with Naomi Edwards

“Contribute widely. So don't just get stuck into one thing, even if you are very shy and just want to be a very technical subject matter expert, try and find ways to do that in a broad range of industries or companies or maybe in a not-for-profit or something. If you can, doing things widely can only help your primary job and it will certainly help society. So broadness if you can.”

Naomi Edwards,
Experienced Actuary

Naomi Edwards is a highly experienced chair and non-executive director who is also a proud actuary.  She is passionate about the contribution that people with a STEM background can make to boards, public policy and society.  She currently sits on the boards of TAL, Propel Funeral Partners and Yarra Funds Management.  She is the Chair-elect of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and was the 2023 President of the Actuaries Institute.   She was also the Chair of industry super fund Spirit Super for over a decade. 

As an executive actuary, Naomi focused on life insurance M&A, Prophet and Margin on Services (yes, she is that old!).  She was a director of Trowbridge Consulting and a partner at Deloitte, where she ran the Australian Financial Services Industry Group across all professional disciplines. 

In her spare time Naomi has been a stand up comedian, an extreme bushwalker and a rock-climber. 

In this interview Naomi shares: 

1. What she learned from her experience as a stand-up comic, 

2. Her highlight serving as the Actuaries Institute President in 2023, 

3. How people with a STEM background can make a contribution to boards, public policy and society, 

4. How organisations can be more inclusive, particularly for neurodivergent employees, and 

5. Her top tips for actuaries wanting to make a difference. 

Connect with Naomi on LinkedIn.

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