
Dr Iqbal Owadally
Reader in Actuarial Science
Bayes Business School, Faculty of Actuarial Science and Insurance
Contact
- +44 (0)20 7040 8478
- m.i.owadally@city.ac.uk
Postal address
106 Bunhill Row
London
EC1Y 8TZ
United Kingdom
About
Overview
Iqbal is a graduate of Cambridge University. He completed his doctoral work in Actuarial Science in the School of Mathematics at City, University of London. He worked as a post-doctoral research assistant sponsored by the corporate Actuarial Research Club before accepting a full-time faculty position. Iqbal also holds a Diploma in Actuarial Techniques, a Diploma in Modern Languages, and the Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy.
Iqbal’s research spans insurance mathematics, operations research, financial economics, and applied statistics, with publications in highly-rated journals. He is an Associate Editor of the International Journal of Finance and Economics. Iqbal has received grants from the Bank of England, the Society of Actuaries, and others. He was a Guest Scholar at IMT Institute of Advanced Studies, Lucca, Italy until July 2016. Iqbal’s research interests include portfolio optimization, time series data mining, sustainable investment, agent-based modelling, stochastic modelling, long-term savings and investment, and retirement benefit systems.
Qualifications
- MA, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom
- MSc, City, University of London, United Kingdom
- PhD, City, University of London, United Kingdom
- Diploma of Actuarial Techniques, Institute and Faculty of Actuaries, United Kingdom
Employment
- Senior Lecturer, City, University of London, Aug 2005 – present
- Lecturer, City, University of London, Aug 2000 – Jul 2005
Visiting appointments
- Guest Scholar, IMT Institute of Advanced Studies, Lucca
Memberships of professional organisations
- Affiliate, Institute of Actuaries, Jan 1999 – present
Awards
- Learning Development Centre, City University (2010) Grant of £4000
Grant of £4000 to develop software use in online and face-to-face teaching of mathematical subjects - City University (2010) Nominated for Student Voice Award
Languages
French.
Expertise
Primary topics
- Actuarial Science
- Actuarial Statistics
- Investment Management
- Investment Theory
- Pension Funds
- Portfolio Choice
- Risk
- Stochastic Processes
Additional topics
- Financial Economics
- Futures & Options
- Life Insurance
- Mathematical & Quantitative Methods
- Pensions
- Probability Theory
- Simulation Methods
Industries
- insurance
- retail financial services
Geographic Areas
- Americas - North
- Europe - Western
Research
Over the last three years, I have worked on portfolio optimization using tail risk measures, dependence in joint lifetimes, complexity economics and agent-based modelling of insurance markets, and modelling of labour and capital markets in pension planning.
Research topics
Risk Measures
Portfolio optimization using tail risk measures
Applications of Non-linear Time Series Analysis
Modelling pension loss as a stochastic process and investigating stationarity and extremal behaviour
Complexity Economics
Using Agent-based Models to describe the insurance market and in particular investigate insurance cycles
Modelling Joint Lifetimes
Modelling short-term dependence in joint lifetimes
Long-term Personal Savings and Investment
A targeted savings plan for individuals
Research students
Chul JangChul Jang
Attendance: Sep 2015 – present, full-time
Thesis title: Lifetime Investment and Annuitization Decisions using Multi-Stage Stochastic Programming
Role: 1st Supervisor
Feng Zhou
Attendance: Sep 2009 – Dec 2013, full-time
Thesis title: Agent-based Modelling of Insurance Markets
Role: 2nd Supervisor
Denise Gomez-Hernandez
Attendance: Jul 2003 – Feb 2008, full-time
Thesis title: Pension Funding and Smoothing of Contributions
Role: 1st Supervisor
Bernard Ngwira
Attendance: Sep 2001 – Sep 2004, full-time
Thesis title: Defined Benefit Pension Funding
Role: 2nd Supervisor
Publications
Conference papers and proceedings (19)
- Owadally, M.I. and Landsman, Z. (2012). Allowing for Tail Risk, and Aversion to Tail Risk, in Optimal Portfolios for Long-Horizon Investors. EURO XXV: 25th European Conference on Operations Research 8-11 July, Vilnius, Lithuania.
- Spreeuw, J. and Owadally, M.I. (2012). Comparing the Markov Chain Interest Rate Model with Vasicek for Varying Terms and Initial Interest Rates. Actuarial and Financial Mathematics Conference Brussels, Belgium.
- Owadally, M.I., Zhou, F. and Wright, I.D. (2011). Understanding insurance cycles: an agent-based modelling approach. General Insurance Research (GIRO) conference (IFoA) 11-14 October, Liverpool, UK.
- Owadally, I. and Landsman, Z. (2011). An Improved Solution for Optimal Portfolios under the Tail Mean-Variance Criterion. International Congress on Insurance: Mathematics and Economics (IME) 2011 Trieste, Italy.
- Owadally, M.I. (2011). ARCH Models, Bilinear Processes, and Tail Risk in Pension Plans. Queen Mary University of London London, UK.
- Owadally, I. (2011). ARCH Models, Bilinear Processes, and Tail Risk in Pension Plans. University of the Balearic Islands Palma de Mallorca, Spain.
- Owadally, M.I. and Haberman, S. (2010). A Savings Plan with Targeted Contributions. 6th Conference in Actuarial Science and Finance 3-6 June, Samos, Greece.
- Owadally, M.I., Haberman, S. and Gomez Hernandez, D. (2010). A Flexible Savings Plan with Targeted Contributions. University of Naples Federico II Naples, Italy.
- Owadally, M.I. (2010). Optimal Portfolios under the Tail Mean-Variance Criterion. Luxembourg School of Finance seminar Luxembourg.
- Owadally, I., Gomez, D. and Haberman, S. (2009). Funding of a Hybrid Pension Scheme. Actuarial and Financial Mathematics Brussels, Belgium.
- Owadally, M.I., Gomez, D. and Haberman, S. (2008). Pension funding and smoothing of contributions. 43rd Actuarial Research Conference 14-16 August, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.
- Gomez, D., Haberman, S. and Owadally, I. (2006). The effects on the funding and contribution variance using the modified spreading model. 10th Annual Congress of Insurance: Mathematics and Economics Catholic University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
- Haberman, S., Khorasanee, M.Z., Ngwira, B.C., Wright, I.D. and Owadally, I. (2004). Risk measurement and management for defined benefit schemes. 3rd Meeting on Social Security and Complementary Pensions Systems: Pension Funds Risk Istituto Superior de Economia e Gestao, Universidade Tecnica de Lisbao, Lisbon, Portugal.
- Ngwira, B.C. and Owadally, I. (2004). Stochastic pension fund control. 14th Annual International AFIR Colloquium Boston, Massachusetts.
- Haberman, S., Vigna, E. and Owadally, I. (2001). Modelling Defined Benefit and Defined Contribution Schemes. Colloque Epargne et Retraite [Savings and Retirement Conference] Institut de Science Financiere et d'Assurances [ISFA], Universite Claude Bernard-Lyon I, Lyon, France.
- Haberman, S. and Owadally, I. (2001). Modelling Defined Benefit Pension Schemes: Funding and Asset Valuation. Pensions Seminar of the International Actuarial Association Brighton, England.
- Haberman, S. and Owadally, I. (2000). Pension plan asset valuation. 35th Actuarial Research Conference Universite Laval, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.
- Haberman, S. and Owadally, I. (1999). Efficient amortization of actuarial gains and losses and optimal funding of pension plans. 34th Actuarial Research Conference Drake University, Des Moines, Iowa, USA.
- Owadally, M.I. and Haberman, S. (1997). Pension Fund Dynamics and Surpluses/Deficits due to Random Rates of Return. AFIR Colloquium 13-15 August, Cairns, Australia.
Journal articles (28)
- Jang, C., Clare, A. and Owadally, I. (2022). Glide paths for a retirement plan with deferred annuities. Journal of Pension Economics and Finance, 21(4), pp. 565–581. doi:10.1017/s1474747221000251.
- Spreeuw, J., Owadally, I. and Kashif, M. (2022). Projecting Mortality Rates Using a Markov Chain. Mathematics, 10(7), pp. 1162–1162. doi:10.3390/math10071162.
- Jang, C., Owadally, I., Clare, A. and Kashif, M. (2022). Lifetime consumption and investment with housing, deferred annuities and home equity release. Quantitative Finance, 22(1), pp. 129–145. doi:10.1080/14697688.2021.1993624.
- England, R., Owadally, I. and Wright, D. (2022). An Agent-Based Model of Motor Insurance Customer Behaviour in the UK with Word of Mouth. Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation, 25(2). doi:10.18564/jasss.4768.
- Owadally, I., Jang, C. and Clare, A. (2021). Optimal investment for a retirement plan with deferred annuities allowing for inflation and labour income risk. European Journal of Operational Research, 295(3), pp. 1132–1146. doi:10.1016/j.ejor.2021.03.052.
- Owadally, I., Mwizere, J.-.R., Kalidas, N., Murugesu, K. and Kashif, M. (2021). Long-Term Sustainable Investment for Retirement. Sustainability, 13(9), pp. 5000–5000. doi:10.3390/su13095000.
- Owadally, I., Ram, R. and Regis, L. (2021). An analysis of the Dutch-style pension plans proposed by UK policy-makers. Journal of Social Policy, 51(2), pp. 325–345. doi:10.1017/S0047279421000155.
- Owadally, I., Jang, C. and Clare, A. (2021). Optimal Investment for a Retirement Plan with Deferred Annuities. Insurance: Mathematics and Economics, 98, pp. 51–62. doi:10.1016/j.insmatheco.2021.02.001.
- Kashif, M., Menoncin, F. and Owadally, I. (2020). Optimal portfolio and spending rules for endowment funds. Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, 55(2), pp. 671–693. doi:10.1007/s11156-019-00856-x.
- Owadally, I., Zhou, F., Otunba, R., Lin, J. and Wright, D. (2019). Time Series Data Mining with an Application to the Measurement of Underwriting Cycles. North American Actuarial Journal, 23(3), pp. 469–484. doi:10.1080/10920277.2019.1570468.
- Owadally, I., Zhou, F., Otunba, R., Lin, J. and Wright, D. (2019). An agent-based system with temporal data mining for monitoring financial stability on insurance markets. Expert Systems with Applications, 123, pp. 270–282. doi:10.1016/j.eswa.2019.01.049.
- Owadally, I., Zhou, F. and Wright, D. (2018). The Insurance Industry as a Complex Social System: Competition, Cycles and Crises. Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation, 21(4). doi:10.18564/jasss.3819.
- Boyer, M.M. and Owadally, I. (2015). Underwriting Apophenia and Cryptids: Are Cycles Statistical Figments of our Imagination? The Geneva Papers on Risk and Insurance - Issues and Practice, 40(2), pp. 232–255. doi:10.1057/gpp.2014.12.
- Owadally, I. (2014). Tail risk in pension funds: an analysis using ARCH models and bilinear processes. Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, 43(2), pp. 301–331. doi:10.1007/s11156-013-0373-9.
- Owadally, I., Haberman, S. and Gómez Hernández, D. (2013). A Savings Plan With Targeted Contributions. Journal of Risk and Insurance, 80(4), pp. 975–1000. doi:10.1111/j.1539-6975.2012.01485.x.
- Spreeuw, J. and Owadally, I. (2013). Investigating the Broken-Heart Effect: a Model for Short-Term Dependence between the Remaining Lifetimes of Joint Lives. Annals of Actuarial Science, 7(2), pp. 236–257. doi:10.1017/s1748499512000292.
- Owadally, I. and Landsman, Z. (2013). A characterization of optimal portfolios under the tail mean–variance criterion. Insurance: Mathematics and Economics, 52(2), pp. 213–221. doi:10.1016/j.insmatheco.2012.12.004.
- Owadally, I. (2012). An improved closed-form solution for the constrained minimization of the root of a quadratic functional. Journal of Computational and Applied Mathematics, 236(17), pp. 4428–4435. doi:10.1016/j.cam.2012.04.014.
- Owadally, M.I. (2012). How to get the most from your piggy bank. InBusiness - Ten year anniversary edition.
- Owadally, I. (2012). ARCH Models, Bilinear Processes, and Tail Risk in Pension Plans. Insurance: Mathematics and Economics.
- Owadally, I., Zhou, F. and Wright, D. (2011). Insurance: Agent-based modelling - Information overload. The Actuary, 2011(11).
- Owadally, M.I. and Haberman, S. (2004). The Treatment of Assets in Pension Funding. ASTIN Bulletin, 34(02), pp. 425–433. doi:10.2143/ast.34.2.505151.
- (2004). Authors’ Reply: Efficient Gain and Loss Amortization and Optimal Funding in Pension Plans - Discussion by Jeremy Gold; Charles Cowling; Jon Exley; Nick Hudson; John Shuttleworth; Andrew Smith; Ian Sykes; Cliff A. Speed; Tim J. Gordon. North American Actuarial Journal, 8(2), pp. 124–125. doi:10.1080/10920277.2004.10596149.
- Owadally, and Haberman, S. (2004). Efficient Gain and Loss Amortization and Optimal Funding in Pension Plans. North American Actuarial Journal, 8(1), pp. 21–36. doi:10.1080/10920277.2004.10596126.
- Owadally, M.I. and Haberman, S. (2003). Exponential smoothing methods in pension funding. IMA Journal of Management Mathematics, 14(2), pp. 129–143. doi:10.1093/imaman/14.2.129.
- Owadally, M.I. (2003). Pension funding and the actuarial assumption concerning investment returns. ASTIN Bulletin: Journal of the International Actuarial Association, 33(2), pp. 289–312. doi:10.1017/S0515036100013477.
- Owadally, M.I. and Haberman, S. (2001). Pension plan asset valuation. Pension Forum, 13(1), pp. 51–59.
- Iqbal Owadally, M. and Haberman, S. (1999). Pension Fund Dynamics and Gains/Losses Due to Random Rates of Investment Return. North American Actuarial Journal, 3(3), pp. 105–117. doi:10.1080/10920277.1999.10595837.
Report
- Owadally, M.I. (2013). Pensions and Growth: Smoothing in Pension Scheme Funding Valuations. Cass Business School.
Working papers (5)
- Owadally, M.I. (2003). Efficient asset valuation methods for pension plans. London, UK: Faculty of Actuarial Science & Insurance, City University London.
- Owadally, M.I. (2003). Pension funding and the actuarial assumption concerning investment returns. London, UK: Faculty of Actuarial Science and Insurance, City University London.
- Owadally, M. and Haberman, S. (2000). Asset valuation and the dynamics of pension funding with random investment returns. London, UK: Faculty of Actuarial Science & Insurance, City University London.
- Owadally, M. and Haberman, S. (2000). Asset valuation and amortization of asset gains and losses defined benefit pension plans. London, UK: Faculty of Actuarial Science & Insurance, City University London.
- Haberman, S. and Owadally, M. (2000). Efficient amortization of Actuarial gains/losses and optimal funding in pension plans. London, UK: Faculty of Actuarial Science & Insurance, City University London.
Other (5)
- Spreeuw, J. and Owadally, I. (2012). The Markov chain interest rate model: analysis of the investment and insurance risk for life insurance contracts.
- Owadally, M.I. and Landsman, Z. (2012). Translation-invariant and positive-homogeneous risk measures in portfolio optimization.
- Owadally, I. (2011). Feedback control, smoothing, delays and multiplicative noise in pension systems.
- Owadally, I. (2011). Pension Planning Should Allow for Correlations between Asset Returns, Labour Income and Employment.
- Owadally, M.I., Haberman, S. and Gomez Hernandez, D. (2011). Quantifying the Increase in Risk when Pension Funding is Smoothed.
Education
Course Directorship
- 2004 - 2009, MSc Actuarial Science, Director
- 2000 - 2014, MSc Actuarial Science, Admissions Tutor
- 2012 - 2014, BSc Actuarial Science Foundation Programme, Director
Subject/Academic Leadership
- 2013-2014r, MSc Actuarial Science, Acting Course Director
- Stochastic Modelling, Financial Economics; Investment
Professional activities
Editorial activity (20)
- IEEE Conference on Control Technology and Applications, Referee, Feb 2018 – present.
- Control Systems Magazine (IEEE), Referee, Jan 2017 – present.
- Risks (ISSN 2227-9091), Referee, Nov 2016 – present.
- North American Actuarial Journal, Referee, 2016 – present.
- Journal of Risk Finance, Referee, 2014 – present.
- ANZIAM Journal (Australian Mathematical Society), Referee, 2013 – present.
- European Actuarial Journal, Referee, 2013 – present.
- Journal of Pension Economics and Finance, Referee, 2013 – present.
- Journal of Risk, Referee, 2013 – present.
- Decisions in Economics and Finance, Referee, 2012 – present.
- Journal of Risk and Insurance, Referee, 2012 – present.
- IMA Journal of Management Mathematics, Referee, 2011 – present.
- Geneva Papers on Risk and Insurance: Issues and Practice, Referee, 2010 – present.
- Applied Mathematics and Computation, Referee, 2009 – present.
- Annals of Finance, Referee, 2008 – present.
- Life and Pensions, Referee, 2007 – present.
- Journal of Actuarial Practice, Referee, 2004.
- Journal of Pension Economics and Finance, Referee, 2003.
- Insurance Mathematics and Economics, Referee, 2002.
- Geneva Papers Issues and Practice, Referee.
Events/conferences (31)
- University of Salerno, Economics and Statistics seminar. (Seminar) Salerno, Italy (2016). Invited speaker.
Paper: Agent-based Modelling and Time Series Data Mining
Author: Owadally I
Co-authors: Lin, J; Otunba, R; Wright, D; Zhou, F - Bank of England Seminar Series. (Seminar) London, UK (2015). Invited speaker.
Paper: Capturing Cycles with Time Series Data Mining and Agent-Based Modelling
Author: Owadally I
Co-authors: Zhou, F; Wright, D - INET, Oxford Martin School, University of Oxford. (Workshop) Oxford, UK (2015). Invited speaker.
Paper: Understanding Cycles on Insurance Markets
Author: Owadally I
Co-authors: Zhou, F; Wright, D - Insurance Mathematics and Economics. (Conference) Liverpool, UK (2015).
Paper: Time Series Data Mining Techniques and Agent-Based Tools
Author: Owadally I
Co-authors: Lin, J; Otunba, R; Wright, D; Zhou, F - Actuarial Research Conference. (Conference) Toronto, Canada (2015).
Paper: Time Series Data Mining and Insurance Cycles
Author: Owadally I - Institute of Finance Seminar. (Seminar) Leicester, UK (2015). Invited speaker.
Paper: Understanding Cycles on Insurance Markets
Author: Owadally I
Co-authors: Zhou, F; Wright, D - Seminar, University of Brescia, Italy. (Seminar) Brescia, Italy (2013). Invited speaker.
Paper: Tail Risk in Pension Funds
Author: Owadally I - 30th International French Finance Association Conference. (Conference) Lyon, France (2013). Invited speaker.
Paper: Tail Risk in Pension Funds
Author: Owadally I. - 17th International Congress on Insurance Mathematics and Economics. (Conference) Copenhagen, Denmark (2013).
Paper: An Agent-Based Model of the Motor Insurance Market
Author: Owadally I.
Co-authors: Douglas Wright, Feng Zhou - Risk and Investment Conference 2012. (Conference) Leeds, UK (2012).
Paper: Agent based modelling insurance cycles – an update and results
Author: Owadally M.I.
Co-authors: Douglas Wright; Feng Zhou - Insurance: Mathematics and Economics. (Conference) Hong Kong (2012).
Paper: ARCH Models, Bilinear Processes and Tail Risk in Pension Funds
Author: Owadally M.I. - Actuarial and Financial Mathematics Conference. (Conference) Brussels, Belgium (2012).
Paper: Comparing the Markov Chain Interest Rate Model with Vasicek for Varying Terms and Initial Interest Rates
Author: Spreeuw J.
Co-authors: Owadally, M.I, - 25th European Conference on Operations Research. (Conference) Vilnius, Lithuania (2012). Invited speaker.
Paper: Allowing for Tail Risk, and Aversion to Tail Risk, in Optimal Portfolios for Long-Horizon Investors
Author: Owadally M.I.
Co-authors: Landsman, Z. - University of the Balearic Islands. (Seminar) Palma de Mallorca, Spain (2011). Invited speaker.
Paper: ARCH Models, Bilinear Processes, and Tail Risk in Pension Plans
Author: Owadally I - Queen Mary University of London. (Workshop) London, UK (2011). Invited speaker.
Paper: ARCH Models, Bilinear Processes, and Tail Risk in Pension Plans
Author: Owadally M.I. - Insurance: Mathematics and Economics. (Conference) Trieste, Italy (2011).
Paper: An Improved Solution for Optimal Portfolios under the Tail Mean-Variance Criterion
Author: Owadally I
Co-authors: Landsman, Z. - General Insurance Research (GIRO) conference. (Conference) Liverpool, UK (2011).
Paper: Understanding insurance cycles: an agent-based modelling approach
Author: Owadally M.I.
Co-authors: Zhou, F. and Wright, I.D. - University of Naples Federico II. (Seminar) Naples, Italy (2010). Invited speaker.
Paper: A Flexible Savings Plan with Targeted Contributions
Author: Owadally I
Co-authors: Haberman, S., Gomez-Hernandez, D. - Luxembourg School of Finance seminar. (Seminar) Luxembourg (2010). Invited speaker.
Paper: Optimal Portfolios under the Tail Mean-Variance Criterion
Author: Owadally M.I. - 6th Conference in Actuarial Science and Finance. (Conference) Samos, Greece (2010).
Paper: A Savings Plan with Targeted Contributions
Author: Owadally M.I.
Co-authors: Haberman, S. - Actuarial and Financial Mathematics. (Conference) Brussels, Belgium (2009).
Paper: Funding of a Hybrid Pension Scheme
Author: Owadally I
Co-authors: Gomez, D., Haberman, S. - Actuarial Research Conference. (Conference) Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada (2008).
Paper: Pension funding and smoothing of contributions
Author: Owadally M.I.
Co-authors: Gomez, D., Haberman, S - Insurance Mathematics and Economics. Leuven, Belgium (2006).
Paper: The effects on the funding and contribution variance using the Modified Spreading model
Co-authors: Haberman, S., Gomez, D. - 10th Annual Congress of Insurance: Mathematics and Economics. Catholic University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium (2006).
Paper: The effects on the funding and contribution variance using the modified spreading model
Co-authors: Gomez, D., Haberman, S. - 3rd Meeting on Social Security and Complementary Pensions Systems: Pension Funds Risk. Istituto Superior de Economia e Gestao, Universidade Tecnica de Lisbao, Lisbon, Portugal (2004).
Paper: Risk measurement and management for defined benefit schemes
Co-authors: Haberman, S., Khorasanee, M.Z., Ngwira, B.C., Wright, I.D. - 14th Annual International AFIR Colloquium. Boston, Massachusetts (2004).
Paper: Stochastic pension fund control
Co-authors: Ngwira, B.C. - Pensions Seminar of the International Actuarial Association. Brighton, England (2001).
Paper: Modelling Defined Benefit Pension Schemes: Funding and Asset Valuation
Co-authors: Haberman, S. - Colloque Epargne et Retraite [Savings and Retirement Conference]. (Conference) Institut de Science Financiere et d'Assurances [ISFA], Universite Claude Bernard-Lyon I, Lyon, France (2001).
Paper: Modelling Defined Benefit and Defined Contribution Schemes
Co-authors: Haberman, S. & Vigna, E - 35th Actuarial Research Conference. (Conference) Universite Laval, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada (2000).
Paper: Pension plan asset valuation
Co-authors: Haberman, S - 34th Actuarial Research Conference. (Conference) Drake University, Des Moines, Iowa, USA (1999).
Paper: Efficient amortization of actuarial gains and losses and optimal funding of pension plans
Co-authors: Haberman, S - AFIR Colloquium. (Conference) Cairns, Australia, URL: http://www.actuaries.org/AFIR/Colloquia/Cairns/Haberman_Owadally.pdf (1997).
Paper: Pension Fund Dynamics and Surpluses/Deficits due to Random Rates of Return
Author: Owadally M.I.
Co-authors: S. Haberman