MARK Roach was born in Plymouth, a seaside city down in England's southwest.
In 2020, after several years working in Sydney, Mark and his wife felt they wanted a healthier environment for their two young daughters and to be closer to his wife’s family who live in Bright.
After just one visit, the couple took a chance on Beechworth and have never looked back.
What do you do workwise?
I work as an actuary for a large international insurer.
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Actuaries play an important role in helping insurers manage future risks and protect policyholders.
In my role, I’m responsible for the computer models we run to see how our business may look in the future.
What brought you to your role/career?
At school, I always loved maths.
This led to my reading pure mathematics at university and subsequently joining a regional insurer to train as an actuary.
My timing was perfect, as the advances in technology at that time led to me taking a role in the modelling team, allowing me to combine both maths and my other interest in computer coding.
What do you love about your work?
No two days are the same – there's always a fresh puzzle to solve.
It could be anything from explaining some odd numbers to building a new computer model.
I also love working with the next generation of actuaries coming through, seeing their enthusiasm and that spark of excitement when new ideas connect.
What do you do in the community?
I currently volunteer on the finance committee at the local primary school.
I’ve also recently joined the board of a local community bank, where local volunteers support the branch and direct funds back into the region.
I'm only new to this role, but I've been impressed by the team’s dedication to supporting the community.
Is there an important community issue that you think needs addressing?
I feel that kids are our top priority – so making sure our local schools can provide access to good quality education and learning opportunities close to home.
What would you do to solve or improve that situation?
Sitting on the school finance committee has shown me how much our schools accomplish with limited resources.
I'd love to see governments invest more seriously in regional education – our children deserve the same opportunities as their city counterparts.
What do you see as one of the most important current world issues?
I worry about young people's mental health in this age of constant social media and diminishing social connection.
Beechworth offers some shelter from this trend – kids here still seem to enjoy something closer to the free-range childhoods I remember, and I feel that this is priceless.
If the person you would most like to meet or knew came to Indigo Shire, who would that be, what would you show them, and why?
My dad, without question.
He passed away shortly after we moved to Beechworth and unfortunately never got to visit.
He would have enjoyed the local countryside, historic buildings and friendly community.
He’d also have loved to see his grandchildren growing up somewhere so beautiful and welcoming.
What book are you reading?
I recently finished "The Anxious Generation" by Jonathan Haidt – a fascinating look at why young people's mental health is declining, connecting the dots between social media, smartphones, and the disappearance of unstructured play.
I found this a huge eye-opener reminding me of our responsibility to raise independent and confident kids.
