Headquarters:

10 Aviva Way, Suite 100, Markham, ON L6G 0G1

Year founded:

1821

Number of employees:

4,000+

Phone:

1 855 620 6262

Email:

info@nbfc.com

Website:

aviva.ca

LinkedIn:

linkedin.com/company/aviva-canada

“With less focus on textbooks, students now engage more in experiential and inquiry-based learning and have ample opportunities to work in collegial groups using various thinking routines”

Jay Halai, Minarah College

Jason Storah

Chief Executive Officer

Fred Shurbaji

Managing Director, Aviva Business

Mark LeBlanc

Chief Distribution Officer

Leadership

Jason Storah is the CEO at Aviva Canada. Since joining Aviva in 2004, he has worked across several lines of business. Storah is chairman of the Équité Association Board, the Insurance Institute of Canada and a member of Canada’s Sustainable Finance Action Council.

Chief Executive Officer

Jason Storah

Fred Shurbaji is the managing director of Aviva Business. He has led the charge in developing coverage solutions for businesses ranging from the small commercial space to the middle market.

Managing Director, Aviva Business

Fred Shurbaji

Mark LeBlanc is the chief distribution officer at Aviva Canada. He is responsible for business development, marketing and communications. LeBlanc has over 30 years’ experience in the Canadian insurance industry and has a strong track record of supporting the successful growth of brokers across the country.

Chief Distribution Officer

Mark LeBlanc

“With less focus on textbooks, students now engage more in experiential and inquiry-based learning and have ample opportunities to work in collegial groups using various thinking routines”

Jay Halai, Minarah College

“We will ensure students address meaningful real-world problems and use specific protocols [so that] all voices are heard. Project-based learning will be emphasised to develop key skills such as research, critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration”

Jay Halai, Minarah College

Leadership

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Jay Halai, Minarah College

“With less focus on textbooks, students now engage more in experiential and inquiry-based learning and have ample opportunities to work in collegial groups using various thinking routines”

Jay Halai, Minarah College

Leadership

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Susan Penwarden

Chief Technical Underwriter

Susan Penwarden is chief technical underwriter at Aviva Canada. She drives technical strategies and performance in risk concentration, governance, underwriting, pricing, reinsurance and customer service for GCS and Aviva Business.

Chief Technical Underwriter

Susan Penwarden

Phil Gibson

Executive Vice President and Managing Director, Personal Insurance

Phil Gibson is executive vice president and managing director of personal insurance at Aviva Canada. Gibson’s portfolio includes retail home and auto, high net worth, group and lifestyle products.

Executive Vice President and Managing Director, Personal Insurance

Phil Gibson

Responsive service: From new business submissions to renewals, mid-term service requests and claims, Northbridge delivers responsive broker service. The company has set high standards for its teams and provides clear points of contact to ensure requests are not only handled quickly but also with the best possible service. Customized solutions: Northbridge’s deep understanding of the industries it serves allows the company to work closely with brokers to offer customers tailored solutions built to their unique needs. This customized approach includes flexible coverage and limit options, plus a range of value-added services for greater peace of mind.

Jay Halai, Minarah College

Urs Uhlmann

Managing Director – Global, Corporate and Specialty

Paul Gardner

Senior Vice President, Corporate Underwriting & Risk Services

Evan Di Bella

Senior Vice President, Claims

Inma Beaumont

Executive Director Advancement and Community Relations

Urs Uhlmann is managing director of global, corporate and specialty at Aviva Canada. He is responsible for the GCS and surety teams, as well as supporting Aviva’s global GCS ambitions.

Managing Director – Global, Corporate and Specialty

Urs Uhlmann

Paul Gardner is Northbridge’s senior vice president for corporate underwriting and risk services. He has worked in the insurance industry since 2006, beginning his career at Lombard General Insurance Company before it was integrated into Northbridge Insurance in 2012. Since then, he has served as a director and then a vice president on the commercial underwriting team. Now, he is responsible for Northbridge’s corporate underwriting, risk services, and NBI personal lines teams.

Senior Vice President, Corporate Underwriting & Risk Services

Paul Gardner

Evan Di Bella is the senior vice president for claims. He joined Northbridge in October 2003 after five years with another P&C insurance company, where he worked in various lines of business. He has held several roles throughout his career with Northbridge, including vice president for Ontario claims.

Senior Vice President, Claims

Evan Di Bella

Inma Beaumont joined BGS at the beginning of 2020. She is an experienced advancement professional, having implemented fundraising and engagement operations for three different units over six years at The University of Queensland. Inma led the fundraising campaign to renovate the Forgan Smith Building, home to the TC Beirne School of Law at UQ. She subsequently spent three years as director of advancement at the UQ Faculty of Health, where she conceived and delivered a major gifts program. Her fundraising experience follows a 15-year career in finance, including as CFO of Citibank Australia. She is a non-executive director of UN Women Australia, Speech Pathology Australia and Women’s College at UQ.

Executive Director Advancement and Community Relations

Inma Beaumont

Diana Godfrey joined Fidelity in 1995, and is currently the senior vice-president, human resources and corporate affairs. She has 27 years of industry experience and has driven innovation and transformative changes to employee benefits, talent development, charitable and diversity and inclusion programs, which have strengthened Fidelity Canada’s position as a top caring employer. She championed the implementation of Fidelity Canada’s value proposition, committed to improving the employee experience to meet their individual needs and the community at large. Fidelity Canada has been recognized with multiple employer awards and designations, which celebrate its work culture and atmosphere, corporate philanthropic initiatives, and health and benefits, to name just a few.

Senior Vice President, Human Resources and Corporate Affairs

Diana Godfrey (she/her/hers)

Cameron Murray is the senior vice president, client services and CIO for Fidelity Investments Canada ULC. In this capacity, he oversees both technology and operations for the organization in Canada. He joined Fidelity in December 1999 as Vice President, Systems Operations. He currently serves as a member of the board of directors for FundSERV, where he has been an executive committee and board member since 2002. He is also on the board of directors for Fidelity Investments Canada ULC.

Senior Vice President, Client Services and Chief Information Officer

Cameron Murray

Sarah M Stewart has more than 15 years of strategic leasing and customer care experience in residential property management. She is responsible for overseeing all aspects of Centurion’s national leasing platforms, residential lead generation, and overall customer experience excellence through operation of the company’s internal customer service department.

Associate Vice President, Leasing and Call Centre Operations

Sarah M Stewart

Associate Vice President, Leasing and Call Centre Operations

Karen Bannister, CM

Vice President, Marketing

Dave Longbottom

Chief Technology Officer

Alex Ventura

Head of Marketing

Damian Palovick

Senior Vice President of Underwriting AXA XL – Delegated Authority Programs, North America

Dr. Mary Lavoie

Head of Risk Management and Senior Vice President AXA XL – Delegated Authority Programs, North America

Mark Bernacki

Chief Underwriting Officer

Ryan Armijo

Chief Operating Officer, Underwriting Division

Bob Petrilli

President, Underwriting Division

“The focus now is on differentiation and development of Higher-Order Thinking Skills (HOTS). There is documented planning on differentiation to ensure the students who are struggling are being catered for and those who are above average are being challenged to do better,” he says. “Furthermore, staff now engage in making data-driven decisions to make programs and learning sequences. Lessons are no longer based on ‘one hat – fits all’, each lesson now has differentiated tasks.” Halai says the syllabus outcome is now achieved through differentiated tasks that are aligned to the student capabilities and learning needs. “Lessons are delivered through interactive smartboards; hence, teachers have the opportunity to cater for visual, auditory and kinaesthetic learners,” he says. “With less focus on textbooks, students now engage more in experiential and inquiry-based learning and have ample opportunities to work in collegial groups using various thinking routines.” Halai says staff development is highly focused on enhancement of ICT skills through regular professional learning with Microsoft Teams. “The success stories on Deep Learning from classrooms were shared by the staff as part of professional development, and these presentations were well received by the teachers, and seen as a learning opportunity, and peer appreciation.” As for what’s next for Minarah College, Halai says the process is in place for changing the learning environment with collaborative learning places for all students. “The shift is from students just learning the knowledge to authentic application of this knowledge to the wider world. The focus at Minarah College is for teachers to equip students with the tools to navigate their learning process and improve their expertise in developing efficacy,” he explains. “We will ensure students address meaningful real-world problems and use specific protocols [so that] all voices are heard. Project-based learning will be emphasised to develop key skills such as research, critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration.” Halai says the college will also be using appropriate data analysis and interpretation of data to make informed decisions that positively affect student outcomes. “The proactive stance will enable students to be committed to advocating essential values, reflect and develop critical thinking and communication skills to develop their characters and become valuable and active members of the community.”

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Associate Vice President, Leasing and Call Centre Operations

Alexis Hill

Chief Information Officer

Alexis Hill joined BGS in April 2022 as the School’s first chief information officer to lead the Digital Transformation Program, which aims to use technology and data to enhance student outcomes. As a senior executive with over 14 years of experience in commercial and government industries, she has substantial experience in digital transformation leadership. Alexis has held CIO and director roles that focused on driving technological and organisational change in complex environments. She holds a Bachelor of Business degree and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Chief Information Officer

Alexis Hill

Aviva Canada is one of the leading property and casualty insurance groups in the country, providing home, automobile, lifestyle and business insurance to 2.4 million customers. A subsidiary of UK-based Aviva plc, Aviva Canada has more than 4,000 employees focused on creating a bright and sustainable future for its people, its customers, its communities and the planet. In 2021, Aviva Canada announced its plan to become a net-zero carbon emissions company by 2040, the most demanding target of any major insurer in the world.

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