Technology & Innovation

Actuarial science has a technology problem.
We are helping to fix it.

The profession runs on spreadsheets, legacy modelling platforms, and manual processes that would be unrecognisable in any other quantitative discipline. QARC is building a practice around changing that.

20+
Years actuarial
technology experience
SSA
Sub-Saharan Africa
delivery capability
FIA
UK-qualified
actuarial leadership

Why actuarial teams are falling behind

Most actuarial departments in life insurance and reinsurance are operating with a technology stack that has not fundamentally changed in twenty years. Modelling platforms generate outputs that flow into spreadsheets. Spreadsheets produce reports that are emailed as PDFs. The cycle repeats, manually, every quarter.

This is not a skills problem. Actuaries are among the most analytically capable professionals in financial services. It is a structural inertia problem — the profession has not yet encountered the disruption that has modernised adjacent disciplines in data science, quantitative finance, and risk management.

The pressure is building. IFRS 17 implementations have exposed the fragility of tactical Excel solutions. Capital model validation is increasingly scrutinised. And a generation of actuaries trained in Python, cloud infrastructure, and modern data engineering is arriving in the workforce expecting better tools.

QARC exists at this inflection point.

"The actuarial profession is extraordinarily capable of building sophisticated models — and extraordinarily resistant to modernising how those models are built, run, and governed."
QARC Technology Practice Perspective
Spreadsheet Dependency

Critical actuarial calculations — reserves, capital, experience analysis — embedded in unversioned, untested Excel workbooks with no audit trail.

Manual Reporting Cycles

Month-end and quarter-end processes that consume weeks of senior actuarial time on data preparation and report assembly rather than insight.

Siloed Modelling Platforms

Legacy actuarial modelling software — often decades old — that does not integrate with modern data infrastructure, version control, or cloud environments.

Weak Version Control

Actuarial code — basis tables, model point files, calculation libraries — managed through file naming conventions rather than proper version control systems.

Data Pipeline Fragility

Actuarial data preparation processes that break on any upstream change, with no automated testing, monitoring, or reconciliation framework.

Governance Gaps

Regulatory expectations around model risk management — documentation, validation, change control — that outpace the informal practices most actuarial teams operate with.

Core Competency

Deep expertise in Prophet — and what comes next

Prophet by FIS has been the dominant life insurance modelling platform across Sub-Saharan Africa and the UK for two decades. QARC's principal brings rare depth of hands-on Prophet expertise — from model architecture and coding through to training, production support, and strategic platform advisory.

This experience also gives us an unusually clear view of where Prophet clients are underserved — and what the emerging generation of modelling platforms offers that Prophet does not.

Model development & architecture — life, savings, group risk and health product types
Training & capability building — from new analyst through to senior developer level
Sub-Saharan Africa support — production issue resolution, version migration, process optimisation
Platform transition advisory — objective assessment of when and whether to migrate
Model Development
New product builds, basis implementation, liability modelling, unit-linked and with-profits
Production Support
Run management, output reconciliation, issue diagnosis, quarterly close support
Version Migration
Prophet V8 through to current versions, library restructuring, process modernisation
Training Programmes
Structured development curricula, bespoke workshops, team capability assessments
IFRS 17 Modelling
GMM and PAA implementation, CSM calculations, liability for remaining coverage
Solvency & Capital
SAM/Solvency II modelling, SCR calculation, stochastic projection frameworks

Beyond the modelling platform

QARC's technology advisory extends beyond actuarial modelling software. We help teams identify and adopt the broader toolkit that modern analytical practice demands — from data engineering through to visualisation, cloud infrastructure, and emerging AI applications.

Actuarial Modelling Platforms
RAFM
WTW (Willis Towers Watson)
A strong challenger platform with growing traction. Particularly relevant for firms already within the WTW ecosystem seeking modelling alternatives.
Slope
Slope Software
Cloud-native, Python-based actuarial modelling. Compelling for firms prioritising modern infrastructure and wanting to reduce legacy vendor dependency.
Pathwise
Aon
Specialised in nested stochastic and capital modelling. Strong US market presence with potential for broader adoption in sophisticated risk functions.
Data Engineering & Analytics
Python Ecosystem
Pandas · Polars · NumPy
Replacing manual Excel data preparation with automated, tested, reproducible pipelines.
SQL & dbt
Modern data transformation
Structured data modelling and transformation for actuarial data warehouses.
Git & Version Control
GitHub · Azure DevOps
Bringing software engineering discipline to actuarial code management.
Alteryx & Power Automate
Workflow automation
Low-code automation for actuarial data preparation and reporting workflows.
Reporting & Visualisation
Power BI
Microsoft
Dynamic actuarial dashboards replacing static PDF output packs for management reporting.
Plotly & Streamlit
Python visualisation
Interactive web-based actuarial analytics applications deployable without infrastructure overhead.
Tableau
Salesforce
Enterprise-grade data visualisation for actuarial experience analysis and financial condition reporting.

From spreadsheet dependency to modern practice

Most actuarial teams sit somewhere between stages one and two. QARC helps navigate the path forward — pragmatically, without disrupting existing production processes.

1
Excel-Driven

All key processes live in spreadsheets. Limited version control. High key-person dependency.

2
Modelling Platform

Dedicated actuarial modelling software in use but outputs still fed into manual Excel processes.

3
Integrated Pipeline

Automated data flows, version-controlled code, dynamic reporting. Manual steps are exceptions.

4
Modern Practice

Cloud infrastructure, AI-augmented analysis, real-time dashboards. Audit trail throughout.

Technology advisory in practice

Our technology services span the full lifecycle — from independent platform selection through to implementation, training, and ongoing support.

01
Platform Selection Advisory

An independent assessment of which actuarial modelling platform best fits your organisation's product mix, team capability, budget, and strategic direction. No vendor affiliation means no conflict of interest.

02
Implementation & Conversion

End-to-end support for model migrations — from proof of concept and parallel validation through to production cutover and post-go-live stabilisation. Particular expertise in Prophet-origin conversions.

03
Training & Capability Building

Structured training programmes for actuarial modelling platforms and surrounding technology. Delivered as formal curricula, bespoke workshops, or embedded coaching alongside your team.

04
Data Pipeline Modernisation

Designing and building automated, tested actuarial data pipelines that replace fragile Excel-based data preparation — reducing manual effort, improving governance, and enabling faster close cycles.

05
Reporting & Dashboard Development

Replacing static PDF reporting packs with dynamic, interactive dashboards in Power BI, Streamlit, or Plotly — giving management real-time visibility into actuarial outputs and experience.

06
Technology Stack Review

A structured review of your current actuarial technology landscape — identifying duplication, gaps, and modernisation priorities — with a pragmatic roadmap aligned to your regulatory and commercial timeline.

The case for an independent technology advisor

Software vendors are excellent at explaining why their platform is the right choice. What they cannot offer is a clear-eyed view of when it is not — or how it compares to alternatives across your specific circumstances.

QARC operates without commercial relationships that create pressure to recommend any particular product. Our only interest is in matching the right technology to your organisation's actual needs.

  • We have no incentive to recommend a platform migration if your current system is adequate for your needs
  • We can advise on competitors to our own areas of deepest expertise — including Prophet — when the situation warrants it
  • We can facilitate introductions to vendors and help structure evaluation processes without being part of their sales channel
  • Our recommendations can be presented to boards and audit committees without conflict-of-interest caveats
Start the conversation

Thinking about your
technology stack?

Whether you are evaluating a platform migration, trying to reduce manual reporting effort, or simply want an independent view on your actuarial technology landscape — we would be glad to talk.