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2023 LIMRA and LOMA Canada Annual Conference

Change Happens, What’s Next?

6/15/2023, 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Manulife, Toronto, Ontario

Overview

Who Attends

The LIMRA and LOMA Canada Annual Conference is a key event that draws senior executives and leaders across diverse sectors of the financial services industry and other related business segments seeking to be informed on what’s happening and what’s next, and be engaged in important conversations with their industry peers and other experts.

Highlights

With unprecedented change happening all around us, what’s the new normal and next normal? The LIMRA and LOMA Canada Annual Conference offers fresh perspectives, inspiring ideas and actionable insights on strategic topics presented by visionary thought leaders and pundits. Come away with knowledge on how to thrive in disruption, differentiate from the crowd, and win with your customers.

Change Happens, What’s Next?

The pandemic has imposed unprecedented turmoil and upheaval in the economy, in the financial services industry, and in the way we do business, work and live.

From the outset, insurance companies have been quick and agile in responding to the disruption. As we adapt to a new normal, what can you expect moving forward and what will it take to thrive in this unpredictable and evolving environment?

At the conference, you’ll get intel and insights to help you prepare for the “what’s next”. Industry thought-leaders and influencers will address hot button issues and share their smart strategies for tackling them — all presented from a distinctly Canadian perspective.

Presenters

Roddy Awad
Chief Executive Officer, Lavvi

  • Thursday, June 15, 2023

    2:55 p.m. - 3:55 p.m.: GENERAL SESSION

Roddy Awad

Chief Executive Officer, Lavvi

Awad has 25 years’ experience in enterprise business technology and 15 years in the insurance industry in corporate project management, management consulting, technology advisory and the delivery of digital life insurance sales and distribution tools. After advancing from a software developer to project manager, and leading troubled projects to success with companies such as IBM Global Services and AT&T, he co-founded TKS, now Lavvi, in 2007.

John Carroll, MBA
Senior Vice President and Head of Insurance and Annuities – U.S. and Canada, LIMRA and LOMA

  • Thursday, June 15, 2023

    8:50 a.m. - 9:45 a.m.: GENERAL SESSION

John Carroll, MBA

Senior Vice President and Head of Insurance and Annuities – U.S. and Canada, LIMRA and LOMA

John Carroll began his career at Merrill Lynch and over the course of 20 years held a variety of sales and marketing roles, culminating in Managing Director, Head of Distribution and Co-Head of Merrill Lynch Insurance Group. After Merrill Lynch, he joined Allianz Global Investors (AGI) where he was Chief Operating Officer for AGI Distributors (AGID), their U.S. Broker Dealer, and ultimately Head of U.S. Retail Distribution and served as the Chief Executive Officer of AGID. He joined LIMRA and LOMA from Epoch Investment Partners, an institutional asset management firm, where he was Head of Intermediary Client Relations. He holds a BA in economics and an MBA from Rutgers University.

Fiona Cuddy
Head of Retail Distribution, Individual Insurance, Manulife Canada

  • Thursday, June 15, 2023

    12:40 p.m. - 1:40 p.m.: GENERAL SESSION

Fiona Cuddy

Head of Retail Distribution, Individual Insurance, Manulife Canada

Fiona Cuddy is Head of Retail Distribution, Individual Insurance, Manulife Canada and is accountable for leading the company’s best-in-class insurance sales team, including spearheading the strategy for retail distribution across Canada. She is focused on transforming the insurance retail distribution channel, deepening relationships with Manulife’s distribution partners, fostering a high-performing team culture, and developing long-term sales strategies. Before joining Manulife, Cuddy was the president of a firm which saw significant growth in all areas under her leadership, and preceding that, she spent many years driving MGA partnerships and Distribution Operations Support within the industry.

Karen Cutler
VP, Head of Underwriting and Claims, Chief Underwriter, Manulife

  • Thursday, June 15, 2023

    1:40 p.m. - 2:40 p.m.: GENERAL SESSION

Karen Cutler

VP, Head of Underwriting and Claims, Chief Underwriter, Manulife

Cutler oversees individual insurance underwriting and recently assumed responsibility for the claims team including life, living benefits, health & dental and travel insurance. She has been with Manulife for 16 years and has implemented many industry-leading underwriting developments including an artificial intelligence underwriting model (AIDA), fluid free accelerated underwriting, reduced evidence requirements and insuring people who are HIV positive. Before joining Manulife, she held senior leadership roles in underwriting including Chief Underwriter for Swiss Re in Canada and the Caribbean. Cutler is a frequent speaker at industry meetings in Canada and the US, has served on many committees and is currently chair of the CLHIA Committee on Underwriting Issues. She has earned an MBA and the FALU and FLMI designations.

Rino D’Onofrio
President and Chief Operating Officer, RBC Insurance

  • Thursday, June 15, 2023

    10:00 a.m. - 10:50 a.m.: GENERAL SESSION

Rino D’Onofrio

President and Chief Operating Officer, RBC Insurance

As President and Chief Operating Officer, RBC Insurance, D’Onofrio is responsible for operational strategy, generating results and delivering on client expectations across a multi-line insurance business which includes Life, Health, Wealth, Home, Auto, Travel, Group and Creditor, and international Reinsurance, with a multi-channel distribution model across Canada. He is on the Board of the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association, and is past Chair of the Board of Directors for LL Global (LIMRA and LOMA) and the Canadian Association of Financial Institutions in Insurance (CAFII). With a focus on our youth, D’Onofrio serves on the Board of Governors for Junior Achievement Central Ontario. He is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries and a Fellow of the Canadian Institute of Actuaries.

Catharine Dutt, CPA, CA, CPA (Delaware), CGMA
Partner, Enterprise Risk Services, MNP LLP

  • Thursday, June 15, 2023

    10:50 a.m. - 11:50 a.m.: GENERAL SESSION

Catharine Dutt, CPA, CA, CPA (Delaware), CGMA

Partner, Enterprise Risk Services, MNP LLP

Catharine Dutt is a business advisor and leader with over 25 years of progressively responsible experience both in industry and consulting, focused primarily in the financial services industry. Her experience includes managing a global internal audit function for the largest Canadian financial institution as well as being the chief audit executive for its U.S. national bank. She has significant expertise working with complex organizations that are navigating evolving stakeholder and regulatory expectations across lines of defence. Much of her time is concentrated in the banking sector, however she has also worked within the insurance, investment dealer, pension and credit union sub-sectors as well as with clients across a variety of industries including government, municipalities, healthcare, law firms, not-for-profit, telecommunications, and transportation.

Dutt is a frequent speaker on topics such as governance and control, strategic internal audit functions, and organizational culture and conduct risk. She supports her community as a Board and Audit and Risk Committee member for the Children’s Aid Society of Toronto and Wilfrid Laurier University. She earned a Master of Accounting from the University of Waterloo. She is a Chartered Professional Accountant, Chartered Accountant, U.S. Certified Public Accountant (Delaware), and Chartered Global Management Accountant (U.S.).

Denise Gigova
Partner, Digital Services, MNP LLP

  • Thursday, June 15, 2023

    10:50 a.m. - 11:50 a.m.: GENERAL SESSION

Denise Gigova

Partner, Digital Services, MNP LLP

Denise Gigova is a partner with MNP’s Digital Services team and leads the firm’s Enterprise Transformation Practice. A seasoned transformation architect with more than 20 years of global consulting and industry experience, she brings strategic thinking, operational excellence, accelerated execution, and dynamic leadership skills to her role. She works closely with her clients to optimize their business today while creating value for tomorrow, exploring entirely new business models for the future. Proficient in transformation strategy, architecture, delivery, management of complex stakeholder landscapes, and value realization, she helps clients in a variety of sectors, including government, telecommunications, utilities, consumer goods, manufacturing, technology solutions, and finance. Gigova earned a BBA in international business administration from European-University Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder), and a postgraduate certification in transformation delivery from Purdue University.

Cathy Hiscott
President and Chief Executive Officer, PPI

  • Thursday, June 15, 2023

    8:30 a.m. - 8:50 a.m.: OPENING REMARKS
  • 4:45 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.: CLOSING REMARKS AND ADJOURNMENT

Cathy Hiscott

President and Chief Executive Officer, PPI

Cathy Hiscott is responsible for the day-to-day leadership and management of PPI and works closely with the senior leadership team to execute on the vision of being indispensable to advisors.

She joined PPI in 2021, bringing more than 30 years of insurance and investment leadership experience. She began her insurance sales career in 1991 and since then, has held numerous sales and distribution roles with one of Canada's leading insurance companies, and subsequently, with a large MGA. From recruitment to learning and development to sales/wholesaling leadership, she has worked with all advisor channels. As the president of a regionally-based mutual fund dealership, she led its conversion to a fully digitized, nominee, fee-for-service national dealership.

Hiscott holds the Certified Financial Planner and Certified Health Specialist designations, and has completed the Canadian Securities Course, Professional Financial Planners Course, and the Partners, Directors, and Senior Officers course through the Canadian Securities Institute. She is a member of the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario Stakeholder Advisory Committee that advises the Board on FSRA’s priorities, budget, and other matters, relating to the life and health insurance sector.

She is Past President of the Cambridge/Guelph chapter of CAIFA (now Advocis), served on the board of GAMA Canada, is an associate member of CALU, and a past LIMRA committee member. Hiscott volunteers as a mentor with WillImploy, a not-for-profit organization that provides guidance in helping new professional immigrants find jobs in their field of expertise.

Naveed Irshad
President and CEO, Manulife Canada

  • Thursday, June 15, 2023

    12:40 p.m. - 1:40 p.m.: GENERAL SESSION

Naveed Irshad

President and CEO, Manulife Canada

Naveed Irshad is the President and CEO, Manulife Canada and a member of Manulife’s executive leadership team. He oversees the implementation of the company’s Canadian growth strategy. With almost 30 years of industry experience, he has a deep understanding of the global life insurance industry. His previous roles in the company included Global Head of Inforce Management and Head of the North American Legacy Business, and President and CEO of Manulife Singapore. Irshad is an avid supporter of Manulife’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts, and internal Employee Resource Groups. In 2022, he was appointed to the Government of Canada’s Disability Inclusion Business Council. He holds the FSA, FCIA and MAAA designations and serves on the Board of Directors for the CLHIA, Canadian Institute of Actuaries, Global Risk Institute, and Ascend Canada.

Renée Laflamme, FCPA, FCA, CFA, ICD.D
Executive Vice-President, Individual Insurance, Savings and Retirement, iA Financial Group

  • Thursday, June 15, 2023

    3:55 p.m. - 4:45 p.m.: GENERAL SESSION

Renée Laflamme, FCPA, FCA, CFA, ICD.D

Executive Vice-President, Individual Insurance, Savings and Retirement, iA Financial Group

Renée Laflamme oversees the operations and growth strategy for the Individual Insurance, Savings and Retirement sector across Canada, as well as all distribution, underwriting, product development, marketing, and administration activities. She is also responsible for leading the operations of PPI Management and is a member of the company's executive committee. She joined iA Financial Group in 1998, after 10 years with a large accounting firm. In 2004, she became Vice-President of Mortgage Loans and in 2010, Vice-President of Group Savings and Retirement. In 2015, she was promoted to the Strategic Planning Committee and to the role of Executive Vice-President, Group Benefits and Retirement Solutions. She ascended to her current role in February 2018.

Laflamme is a chartered accountant and chartered financial analyst. In 2017, she was awarded the title of Fellow CPA. In 2022, she won the Finance et Investissement Top Leader Award for Quebec in the “Leaders/Executives in the Financial Industry” category. In 2023, she was named one of the Top 100 Most Powerful Women in Canada by the Women's Executive Network (WXN) in the “Executive Leaders” category. She also supports a number of philanthropic organizations, including Centraide Québec-Chaudière-Appalaches, where she has been a member of the major donations committee for several years.

Norm Leblond
VP, Chief Underwriter and Claims Risk Officer, Sun Life

  • Thursday, June 15, 2023

    1:40 p.m. - 2:40 p.m.: GENERAL SESSION

Norm Leblond

VP, Chief Underwriter and Claims Risk Officer, Sun Life

Leblond thrives on the challenge of applying innovative problem-solving skills and driving for results and differentiation. Throughout his career, he has sought to promote engagement and collaboration to better the underwriting community, which is evident through his years of service to the Association of Home Office Underwriters (AHOU), Academy of Life Underwriting (ALU) and Canadian Institute of Underwriters (CIU). In 2019, he was inducted into the AHOU Hall of Fame. Leblond began his underwriting career over 25 years ago. After spending five years as Swiss Re Canada’s Chief Underwriter, he rejoined Sun Life in 2019 in the role he currently holds. He is a certified FALU.

Brigitte Loos
VP and Chief Underwriter, Canada Life

  • Thursday, June 15, 2023

    1:40 p.m. - 2:40 p.m.: GENERAL SESSION

Brigitte Loos

VP and Chief Underwriter, Canada Life

Loos has been in the insurance industry for over 25 years. Her underwriting experience includes individual life, critical illness and disability both at direct and reinsurance companies. She was involved with creating the first Large Case Unit servicing the MGA and national account channels at Canada Life, and also lent her expertise to building, testing and implementing automated underwriting rules.

Pierre Martin
Associate Vice-President, Partnerships and Digital Distribution, Assumption Life

  • Thursday, June 15, 2023

    2:55 p.m. - 3:55 p.m.: GENERAL SESSION

Pierre Martin

Associate Vice-President, Partnerships and Digital Distribution, Assumption Life

Martin has been working in the insurance industry for over 15 years, playing several key roles and leading both the marketing and product development teams at Assumption Life. In addition to his current role, he also serves as Chief Digital Officer. Owing to his significant digital marketing expertise and business acumen, he was appointed to lead project teams to help drive the company’s digital distribution platforms over the past decade.

Agenda

Registration

Early Bird Rate (by May 19, 2023)
LIMRA or LOMA members: CD$695 + HST
Non-members: CD$895 + HST

Regular Rate (after May 19, 2023)
LIMRA or LOMA members: CD$895 + HST
Non-members: CD$1,095 + HST

Cancellation and Refund Policy

All cancellation requests must be received in writing. These requests carry a CD$125 administrative charge. Full refunds minus the administrative fee will be granted only on written requests received by May 31, 2023. No refunds will be granted if the request is received after this date. If for any reason, a meeting is canceled, LIMRA and LOMA will refund the total registration fee. However, LIMRA and LOMA will not be responsible for any travel, hotel accommodations, or other costs incurred. Cancellation requests should be submitted to customer.service@limra.com.

2023 COVID-19 Health and Safety Protocols-LIMRA and LOMA Canada Annual Conference

2023 COVID-19 Health and Safety Protocols

The safety and well-being of our members, associates, community and employees, remains LIMRA and LOMA’s top priority. To assist with our organization’s efforts to contain the spread of Coronavirus (COVID -19), we continue to monitor and follow local and provincial laws and guidance as it relates to events and meetings and all other mandated and recommended precautions from applicable provincial and local leaders. We also monitor, and advise you to remain aware of, the guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

While we encourage all meeting and event attendees to take precautions to ensure their own health and to be considerate of others, event attendees are not required to wear face coverings or social distance, unless required by local law.

In the event that you were in close proximity with any person who has been sick in the past seven (7) days, are awaiting test results, or are experiencing symptoms of illness, please consult the CDC isolation and exposure calculator regarding the specific precautions to take in each situation: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/isolation.html

Thank you for your continued consideration and please note that these guidelines are subject to change in the event of changing conditions and/or guidance from local, provincial and federal officials.

Hotel / Venue

Manulife Conference Center
200 Bloor Street East
Toronto, Ontario

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