Richard was appointed as Eckler’s Managing Principal in May 2023. As Managing Principal, Richard has direct responsibility for continuing the firm’s almost 100-year legacy of providing best-in-class advice and services to our clients, while also helping to drive innovation and uphold our award-winning culture. He became Chair of the Board of Directors in April 2024.
With over 20 years of experience in the pension industry, Richard is a risk management expert. Richard joined Eckler in 2013 as a pension actuary and has a wealth of experience analyzing and advising pension plan sponsors regarding the management of a wide range of risks. In 2015, Richard immersed himself into the world of longevity risk management through Eckler’s launch of Club Vita, a longevity analytics business, in Canada. During his time with Club Vita, Richard worked with many of the largest defined benefit pension plans in Canada to better understand, measure and manage their longevity risk, as well as provide longevity analytics and expertise to insurers and reinsurers active in the Canadian pension risk transfer market. In his most recent capacity as the leader of Club Vita’s Canadian operations, Richard oversaw the successful integration of Club Vita’s Canadian business internationally following the consolidation of Club Vita’s Canadian, UK and US businesses at the end of 2021.
Before joining Eckler, Richard spent ten years at another consulting firm providing investment strategy and broader risk management consulting services. His previous experience centred around the analysis, design and implementation of pension risk management strategies, with a primary focus on investment and risk transfer strategies. He has extensive experience with asset-liability and capital market modelling, including the use, development and calibration of stochastic models.
Richard contributes his insights to a variety of publications and conferences. Here’s just a sampling:
How Has COVID-19 Impacted Canadian Defined Benefit Pensioner Longevity?
The Observer – Association of Canadian Pension Management (ACPM) – 2021, Issue 2
The Increasing Uncertainty of Longevity – And What Plan Sponsors Can Do About It
Plans & Trusts – International Foundation –May/June 2021
Key Factors for Explaining Differences in Canadian Pensioner Baseline Mortality
Members’ Paper – Canadian Institute of Actuaries – May 2018
Richard likes to stay active by playing sports that require a net, a racquet, or both – namely volleyball, squash and tennis. He’s also an avid mountain biker and tries to get out on the trails as much as possible, especially with his go-to riding partners…his two sons!
Passionate about the environment, Richard loves enjoying the outdoors, whether it be mountain biking, camping with his family, hiking or kayaking.