Book excerpt: The 2008 financial crisis was a reminder to people both inside and outside the Actuarial Profession of just how complex the Financial Services industry has become, and just how tied the World economy presently is to its fortunes. This wide-ranging, non-technical book examines our present economic model, the industry's present function and the appropriateness of the Actuarial Profession's present strategy and direction in the aftermath of that crisis, and in the context of the challenges that lie ahead. The book's central premise is that, far from being a one-off, the 2008 crash is merely a portent of things to come, and that the Profession, the industry it serves, and even the political and economic models under which both presently operate are in need of fundamental reform if they are to equip our society to withstand the challenges that are going to be visited upon it. This book seeks to explore the reasons why, and to open the debate about what shape that reform ought to take. As such it should be of interest not just to actuaries, but to anyone who has an interest in our collective future.