Profile
"West Oak’s success has come from always putting our clients’ best interests first and always finding ways to improve and add more value to them"
Andrew mcquiston,
west oak family office, wellington-altus private wealth
Terri O’Brien is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Équité Association, an inspirational industry leader who prioritizes cultivating a positive and inclusive workplace culture. Bringing more than 25 years of experience in financial services, including all facets of risk management, fraud, leadership and growth strategies, she joined Équité in 2021 and is leading the journey to defend Canadians against insurance fraud and crime.
Équité Association is a national, not-for-profit association – the Canadian insurance industry’s unified front against insurance fraud and exploitation. Through advanced analytics, intelligence best practices, and coordinated investigations, Équité strives to detect and prevent insurance crime in support of all insurers in Canada.
Not only an astute and innovative leader, Terri also believes in communication, transparency, and coaching to support the growth of her team. She is leading openly, where she encourages her team to reach out to her directly, making it a priority to know each employee at Équité – a true advantage of a smaller organization.
It has been a proud year for Équité, as the goal of 50/50 gender representation was achieved in both the board of directors and the senior leadership team. A mentor throughout her career, regardless of systemic barriers, Terri continues to be a champion of promoting women, diversity, and inclusion.
“The landscape is changing – we need to do our part to mentor and promote not only women, but talented people of all diversity and cultures, particularly in Canada, where we are so multicultural,” says Terri. “And I do believe that diversity of thought around the table, the different experiences that our leaders bring to those conversations, really does make us better organizations and delivers better business results.”
Terri continues to prioritize equal gender representation for the long run and is passionate about pay equity. Équité proudly ensures that every employee that joins is paid equitably.
“It’s important to be conscious about how you hire, how you promote, and how aware senior leaders are about the purpose-driven strategies to bolster diversity,” says Terri. “When I accepted the role as Équité’s first president and CEO, I prioritized 50/50 representation and pay equity. I hired my executive team in support of these important goals, and I am proud to say that within our first year, we have achieved both.
“More than 60% of property and casualty (P&C) insurance professionals are women, and yet less than half of the leadership roles are filled with them. With the current ‘War on Talent’ hiring and retention challenges across Canada, I believe a key cultural differentiator and solution can be to actively promote diverse leaders to their highest potential. By fostering a more inclusive environment – promoting female and diverse talent, and coaching new leaders to their highest potential – we can both retain and attract our best people to the insurance industry in Canada.”
She dedicates her personal time to causes that elevate children and youth. As a mother of four, she believes that preparing them today and providing them with tools, guidance, and valuable advice contributes to their ability to be successful. Terri has been a long-time leader in philanthropy both at home and abroad. Having been named a leader in the United Way for her donations for many years, often dedicating funds to women’s shelters and children’s charities, Terri also prioritizes funding international causes such as the Red Cross in Ukraine, and the White Helmets in Syria, along with other on the ground charities such as Women for Women International, Save the Children and Together Rising. Dedicating her time to increasing financial literacy, a gap that’s still prevalent in Canada, Terri speaks to young women, from their early teenage years to young adulthood. She contributes to increasing the financial literacy of these groups, while encouraging them to pursue a career in business and is a strong supporter of women in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics).
Prior to leading Équité, Terri was the inaugural chief risk officer at Interac Corp., and has held senior executive roles at TD Bank, as well as other financial institutions earlier in her career.
2235 Sheppard Avenue East Atria II, Suite 600, Toronto, ON M2J 5B5
416 209 7066
info@equiteco.ca
linkedin.com/in/terrimobrien
equiteassociation.com
Terri O’Brien
President and Chief Executive Officer
Équité Association
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2013
Ted Talk in collaboration with key media
Master of Education (Curriculum and Pedagogy)
2013
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2018-2020
2020
2021 – Current
2017–2018
2018–present
Terri O’Brien
President and Chief Executive Officer
Équité Association
Read on
Special Report
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Bio
Milestones
Profile
Milestones
Insurance Business Magazine | Key Media
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2018-2020
2020
2022 - Current
2017–2018
2018–present
Terri O’Brien
President and Chief Executive Officer
Équité Association
Read on
Special Report
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2018–present
2017–2018
2021 – Current
2020
2018-2020
2018–present
Insurance Business Magazine | Key Media
CHRO at Definity
2018–present
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2017–2018
Human Resources Magazine | key media
CHRO at High Liner Foods
2017–2018
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2021 – Current
Human Resources Magazine | key media
President and CEO – Equite Association
2021 – Current
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2020
Human Resources Magazine | key media
Chief Risk and Operating Officer – Pace Credit Union
2020
1998–2007
2018-2020
human resources | key media
Chief Risk Officer – Interac Corp.
2018-2020
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Milestones