Clive Bellows, country head of Northern Trust in Ireland, attends a celebration of the expansion and refurbishment of Northern Trust’s office in Limerick with a ribbon cutting ceremony with the Minister for Finance Michael Noonan. Following the ceremony, Northern Trust’s Irish management hold a closed meeting with Noonan where they discuss their recommendations on a number of regulatory issues affecting Ireland – such as the approach of the Central Bank to the regulation of funds and fund service providers and the gold plating of European anti-money laundering legislation.

An aptitude for mathematics is a primary skill required for anyone considering a career as an actuary, but the need for this is sometimes over-stated with many professionals coming from a wide variety of backgrounds, including theology and physics, says Brona McGee, head of Royal Liver's actuarial division.