Tell us about your career path and how you got to where you are today.

I started my career as an intern in the Canadian retirement/pensions industry on the actuarial valuation side. Then, I stepped into reinsurance protection pricing when I interned with Pacific Life Re in their London office. 

Since university, I’ve worked in reinsurance corporate actuarial valuation and US actuarial consulting. I took time to decide exactly what direction I wanted to take in my career, but I had determined the traditional actuarial career path was not what I wanted long-term. I knew I wanted something focused on problem-solving with a broader scope of learning, and I’m interested in investments. When this role popped up for Pacific Life Re, I had to apply as it brought the actuarial and investment worlds together in a way that piqued my interest.

What are the biggest challenges of your role today?

It’s constantly changing but in a good way. This environment provides lots of learning opportunities and makes the role more interesting. Also, it’s exciting to be part of a dynamic team that’s setting the foundations for more structured approaches in the future.

What’s the best thing about working here?

The people! I’ve worked in both London and Toronto offices, and I’m constantly struck by how commendable it is for a company to maintain a good culture across borders, even over the years, as it continues to grow.

How has Pacific Life Re supported your career growth and development?

From my experience on two different teams, Pacific Life Re has a culture of teaching that enables you to truly understand the context and details of the work you’re doing, as opposed to just getting the job done. It’s very easy to go through the motions without understanding what you’re doing, especially at a junior level. But here I’ve been challenged to be more mindful of my actions and why. You’re trained to grow, and the business invests in you regardless of whether you’re a temporary intern or here permanently.

What is your best career advice?

Keep showing up with a standard of excellence (not perfection excellence; there’s a difference) and adopt a posture of integrity in everything you do.