Agenda

Navigating change. Shaping the industry. Elevating women. 

8:00 – 8:50 AM
Breakfast and registration

 

8:50 – 9:00 AM
Opening remarks from chairperson

 

Celyeste Power
President & Chief Executive Officer, Insurance Bureau of Canada
9:00 – 9:45 AM
Learn it. Earn it. Return it.: The Foundation of Transformational Leadership

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

Rola Dagher
Transformational Leadership | Former President and CEO, Cisco Canada
9:50 – 10:30 AM
Redefining Ambition: How Women Are Shaping the Future of Insurance Careers

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

Lisa Kack
Founder and CEO, Royal City Recruitment Inc.

Moderator

Cassandra Chowdhury
Senior Manager, Technology Consulting, Ernst & Young LLP
Brenda Gibson
President and CEO, Red River Mutual
Mackenzie Oldfield
Senior Underwriter, Private & Not-for Profit Financial Lines, Chubb
10:30 – 11:00 AM
Morning coffee break – meet & mingle

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

11:00 AM – 11:55 AM
Morning Discussion Tables: Your insurance world, your voice

The first of two sessions of its kind, interactive discussion tables offer you the chance to dive deep into key topics and issues facing insurance professionals. Choose a topic that interests you most and enjoy the chance to sit with like-minded peers for an informal session of brainstorming ideas, sharing experiences, and making connections.

LEARN MORE
12:00 – 12:30 PM
Fireside Chat: Beyond the Headlines – Real-World Insights on Risk and Strategy

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

Jill Lankin
Executive Vice President & Chief Legal Officer, Zurich Canada

Moderator

Geneviève Fortier
Chief Executive Officer, Promutuel Insurance
Anushree Prakash
VP, Direct Operations, Definity
12:30 – 1:30 PM
Lunch and networking activities
1:30 – 2:00 PM
The Confidence Advantage: A Leadership Case Study in Turning Expertise into Authority

Despite deep expertise and strong performance, many women hesitate to fully step into authority — especially in high-stakes meetings, leadership discussions, and complex client environments. Rather than exploring this challenge theoretically, this session brings the concept to life through a real-world leadership case study from Allianz. 

Join us as Allianz leaders walk through pivotal career moments where confidence, self-trust, and communication directly shaped outcomes — revealing what worked, what didn’t, and what ultimately helped transform expertise into leadership authority. 

  • A real-world leadership case study illustrating the confidence gap in action 

  • How subtle mindset and communication shifts changed influence and outcomes 

  • Practical examples of language, behaviours, and decision framing that built authority 


 

2:05 – 2:45 PM
Panel: The power economy: How influence, advocacy, and visibility accelerate women’s careers

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

Stephanie Banning
AVP, Cyber Practice, HSB Canada

Moderator

Jolee Crosby
CEO Reinsurance Canada, Swiss Re
Rose Freeman
Founder & CEO, Willow Insurance Corp.
Jaime Yoon
SVP, Head of Distribution – Canada, SOMPO
2:45 – 3:15 PM
Afternoon coffee break – connect & reflect

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

3:15 – 3:40 PM
Showcase: Navigating trust, risk, and fraud in the age of technology

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

 

 

Davina Boulineau
President, Private Client Advice and Vice President Small Business Distribution, TD Insurance
Niro Kandasamy
Assistant Vice President of Fraud & Special Investigations, TD Insurance
Anita Morgan
Senior Manager, Claims, TD Insurance
3:15 – 3:40 PM
Mentorship Labs: Find Your Fit

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

3:50 – 4:25 PM
Fireside chat: Career shock-proofing: How women build momentum in times of disruption

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

Pamela Derksen
Deputy Chief Compliance Officer, Canada, NFP

Moderator

Susan DuHamel
VP, National Distribution & Field Leader, CNA Insurance
Gillian Noble
VP & Chief Operating Officer, BMO Insurance
Erin Magilton
Executive Vice President, Complex Risk, HUB Insurance
4:25 – 4:30 PM
Closing remarks from chairperson
Celyeste Power
President & Chief Executive Officer, Insurance Bureau of Canada
4:30 PM – 5:30 PM
Networking drinks reception and activities