Wen Liu guides Aquarian’s actuarial direction as Managing Director and Chief of Actuarial Services. He leads U.S. actuarial work and shapes strategy for reporting, valuation, pricing, product design, forecasting, and assumption governance. He oversees reinsurance and engages with board members, investors, and rating agencies through clear and steady communication.
His career began in the early 2000s with roles focused on valuation and risk. Consulting expanded his perspective on capital, pricing, and M&A across the sector. That range now anchors his work at Aquarian, where he blends actuarial rigor with capital discipline and a long-term growth focus.
AT A GLANCE
• Growth Guided by Insight: Life and annuity expansion paced by clear earnings signals and capital strength.
• Systems Built for Scale: Modern actuarial platforms and tighter governance improve precision and readiness.
• People Developed with Intention: Structured talent pathways and open communication support actuarial growth and confidence.
• Broader Lens, Deeper Understanding: Work across multiple domains strengthens judgment and connects daily work to enterprise value.
Through this article, Liu emphasizes that actuarial work matters most when it connects technical rigor with business understanding, clear communication, and continuous learning, enabling actuaries to contribute meaningfully to long-term enterprise decisions.
Experience Driving Strategy: Actuarial Clarity in Growth
My actuarial work has always centered on connecting product design with balance sheet strength and long-term value. This career-long approach has taught me that growth in life and annuities must rest on clarity rather than assumption. At Aquarian, these learnings shape how I build frameworks that thoughtfully approach choices related to pricing, competitiveness, product mix, capital allocation, and diversification. Each decision becomes part of a coherent view rather than a response to market movements in isolation.
I aim to present analysis in a way that supports decisions and invites confidence. Conversations with board members, investors and rating agencies move forward when information stays clear, relevant and grounded in what matters most.
This approach also influences my work on reinsurance structures, capital efficiency, and product expansion, strengthening the company’s statutory position and supporting growth at a pace that reflects financial strength rather than volume targets. Expansion becomes measured, resilient, and aligned with the commitments we make to policyholders.
All of this leads to a simple principle: life and annuity markets create enduring growth when risk, capital, and economic value move in the same direction over time.
Experience Informing Leadership: Modern Platforms Supporting Growth
My leadership style has been shaped by a career spanning corporate actuarial teams and consulting firms. Experience in valuation, risk management, and pricing gives me a clear understanding of product behavior and balance sheet strength. Time in consulting broadened that perspective and showed me how capital priorities intersect with strategy and execution pressures. As a result, I learned that actuarial insight gains power when it connects technical rigor with practical judgment.
This belief guides how I communicate complex work. I aim to present analysis in a way that supports decisions and builds confidence. Conversations with board members, investors, and rating agencies move forward when information remains clear, relevant, and grounded in what matters most.
Clarity also depends on the systems that support our work. At Aquarian, I led the transition from spreadsheets to modern platforms and stronger governance, improving precision and efficiency in the process.
These experiences influence how I mentor actuaries. When people understand how their work shapes outcomes, they develop sound judgment and contribute to enterprise discussions with a balanced and confident voice.
Culture Supporting Excellence: Growing Actuarial Talent
Building the actuarial team has been one of the most meaningful aspects of my work at Aquarian. I began by bringing in strong talent and fostering an environment where people feel both supported and challenged. That focus led to the launch of our actuarial internship program, which now attracts emerging actuaries from UConn, Purdue, NYU, and Colgate. It has also created a steady pipeline of future team members who already understand our standards and values.
I encourage a way of working that blends technical rigor with curiosity and clear communication. This balance helps actuaries deliver precise analysis, understand how their work influences enterprise decisions, and share insights that improve outcomes. Confidence grows when people see that thoughtful input strengthens our direction.
With clear standards and expectations in place, we turned to modernization. Implementing modeling platforms and stronger controls improved accuracy and created space for more active roles in solving complex problems.
Learning Across Roles: Clarity Shaping Work Purpose
Clear communication strengthens purpose. Taking the time to explain complex analysis with precision and simplicity is always worth the investment. My mentors showed me that judgment is formed through review, reflection, and dialogue. I look forward to passing those same lessons on to the next generation of actuarial leaders.
When you stay curious and place your work within a larger mission, countless opportunities emerge.
