When Rola Dagher arrived in Canada as a young refugee, she didn’t speak the language and had no formal education. From those beginnings, she built an extraordinary career, rising from Bell’s telemarketing department to senior leadership roles at Bell Canada and Dell, and later becoming President and CEO of Cisco Canada before serving as Global Channel Chief at Dell Technologies.

In this inspiring keynote, Dagher shares the leadership philosophy that has guided her journey: Learn it. Earn it. Return it. Through personal stories and practical insight, she explores how continuous learning, relentless drive, and lifting others up can transform careers, teams, and organizations.

• A simple three-part leadership framework for personal and professional growth

• How resilience, hustle, and authenticity shape impactful leaders

• Why investing in others is the key to building lasting influence and strong teams

Career ambition is being fundamentally redefined — and the insurance industry is feeling the impact. Today’s high-performing women are prioritizing flexibility, purpose, influence, and sustainable leadership over linear career paths and traditional advancement models. This session explores how organizations can modernize career design, leadership development, and workplace culture to attract, engage, and retain top talent in a rapidly changing workforce.

• How to advocate for flexibility, development, and career pathways aligned with your goals

• How organizations can build leadership pathways that include executive development and board readiness

• How to design workplace cultures that attract, engage, and retain the next generation of insurance leaders

Refuel with refreshments, introduce yourself to someone new, and swap insights from the morning sessions.

 Engage with peers on the most pressing challenges facing insurance leaders today—sharing perspectives, pressure-testing ideas, and learning how others are navigating similar decisions. 

Insurance leaders navigate an environment shaped by economic uncertainty, evolving risks, and shifting market dynamics. In this fireside chat, senior insurance executives share how macro trends are affecting their organizations, offering practical insights for strategy, decision-making, and leadership.

• How current economic conditions are influencing insurance performance and risk exposure

• Lessons from emerging trends such as social inflation and evolving claims behavior

• Using economic and market context to guide strategic decisions and leadership conversations

Career growth doesn’t happen by accident. It’s shaped by decisions, visibility, and the ability to build trust and influence over time. Through a candid conversation with Helen Cosburn, Allianz and Renata Bezerra, VP Strategy & Growth, CIBC Life, this session brings to life the real moments that accelerated their careers and expanded their leadership impact. Through practical examples and honest insight, the panel will explore how mentorship, self-trust, and intentional choices translate into meaningful advancement.

• Making decisions that accelerate your career in high-stakes moments
  
  
• Using sponsors, mentors, and peers to create real opportunities
  
  
• Building credibility and influence through everyday interactions
  
  
•  Navigating power dynamics while staying authentic in your leadership style

In today’s leadership landscape, performance alone is no longer enough. Career advancement is increasingly shaped by visibility, influence, and strategic advocacy. This session shows how women in insurance can strengthen executive presence, strategically build visibility, and cultivate sponsorship relationships to unlock leadership opportunities. Learn practical ways to position yourself for opportunity and accelerate career momentum.

• How to raise visibility and influence without self-promotion — within teams, cross-departmental initiatives, and enterprise leadership circles

• Strategic meeting presence: How to influence outcomes, not just contribute

• Building sponsorship relationships that open doors and create advocates for advancement

Grab a refreshment, join a networking activity, and trade one insight or tip you’ve picked up during the summit.

Technology is reshaping insurance and exposing new, fast-moving forms of fraud along the way. In this curated showcase, speakers from different backgrounds and roles across the insurance ecosystem will highlight how fraud is showing up today, the tools being used to detect and prevent it, and the practical next steps organizations can take now.

• How technology-enabled fraud is emerging across underwriting, claims, and customer touchpoints

• Tools, data, and approaches being used today to improve detection, visibility, and response

• Practical next steps insurers can take to strengthen fraud prevention while maintaining customer trust

This fast-paced, interactive mentorship experience, in partnership with Sovereign, is designed to create meaningful peer connections, practical career insight, and real takeaways through guided small-group discussion. Participants will engage in focused conversations that encourage shared learning, professional growth, and authentic relationship-building.

• Career Growth & Direction

• Confidence, Influence & Leadership Presence

• Belonging, Culture & Retention
  

Please note that you must pre-register to attend as space is limited. 

Economic shifts, regulatory change, digital transformation, and industry consolidation are reshaping the insurance landscape — fast. This session shows how women leaders stay visible, agile, and strategically positioned when change is constant. Learn practical strategies to maintain career momentum, strengthen influence, and turn periods of disruption into leadership opportunities.

• Staying career-forward through disruption — including M&A, restructuring, and leadership transitions

• Leading with authority and strategic presence across teams and the broader organization

• Transforming disruption into strategic advantage while guiding teams through change