Profile
Avagail Igonia measures success by the strength of the team around her and the results they achieve together. As director of sales, individual insurance at iA Financial Group, she has built a leadership style grounded in strategy, education, and culture. That approach earned her recognition as one of Insurance Business Canada’s Elite Women for 2026.
Her path into insurance was not rigidly planned. After leaving the medical field, she knew she wanted to educate but did not yet know what form that would take. Moving from adviser to corporate leadership opened avenues she had not anticipated. She credits curiosity, opportunity, drive, and the education she pursued for shaping how her career unfolded.
Today, Igonia leads in an environment defined by volatility and rising expectations. Regulatory shifts, market swings, and evolving adviser demands are constants. The challenge is maintaining performance while conditions keep changing.
She meets that challenge by staying proactive in her own learning, communicating openly, and placing culture at the centre of her leadership. Preparation and transparency guide her decisions. Strong relationships anchor performance. When advisers feel confident and supported, she believes they are better positioned to deliver smart, informed outcomes for clients.
Igonia’s proudest achievement, however, is deeply personal. Completing her executive MBA while raising three children, including one with a disability, and continuing to grow in her corporate career stands as a defining milestone. It required focus and resilience during an already intense stage of life.
Professionally, a behavioural assessment identified strategic leadership as her strongest quality. She sees the big picture, builds collaborative teams, and creates the structure that turns vision into measurable outcomes. She thrives in environments where relationships matter and where people are encouraged to perform at their best.
“I lead with empathy, collaboration, and consistency,” she says. “My main focus is on creating environments where others can succeed alongside me.”
Working in a male-dominated industry, often among colleagues significantly older than she is, has meant confronting assumptions about credibility. At times, Igonia has had to prove herself before her voice was fully heard. She addressed that by strengthening her expertise, staying focused on results, and leading with confidence and empathy. Those experiences shaped her commitment to environments where talent and contribution outweigh demographics.
Recognition as an Elite Woman carries meaning beyond personal achievement. She views it as a platform. “If my journey can help encourage even one woman to believe in her potential, pursue leadership, or take the next step in her career, then this recognition carries even greater meaning,” she says.
If Igonia could change one dynamic in the industry, it would be expanding the conversation beyond gender alone toward true inclusion and belonging. She wants workplaces where people feel heard and valued. For women in particular, she encourages confidence. Waiting until one feels fully ready, she believes, can delay growth unnecessarily.
The legacy Igonia hopes to leave is rooted in shared success. She wants to be known as someone who set clear goals, brought people together, and helped others see what they were capable of achieving. If she is remembered for paving the way for others to succeed while succeeding together, she says, that would be legacy enough, ideally with a great pair of heels and a sense of style intact.
988 W Broadway #400, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1K7
604 761 3201
avagailigonia@gmail.com
linkedin.com/in/avagailigonia
ia.ca/individuals
Avagail Igonia
Regional Sales Director
iA Financial Group
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Bio
Milestones
Profile
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Bio
Milestones
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Special Report
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Bio
Milestones
2002–2010
2005–2015
2014–2015
2015–2017
Present
2002–2005: Solicitor General at Nova Scotia Department of Justice
2010: Awarded the Progress Club Women of Excellence Award
2002–2010
Vice President, Performance Excellence and General Counsel at Capital District Health Authority
2005–2015
Co-Lead for Quality, Patient Safety, Risk, Performance, and Accountability in the Transition Project for the Nova Scotia District Health Authority
2014–2015
Vice President, Quality and System Performance at Nova Scotia Health Authority
2015–2017
CEO at HIROC since 2017
Present
Milestones
Milestones
Sept 2021
Feb 2022
Apr 2022
Jul 2022
Aug
2022
Suncorp Bank introduces Solar Home Bonus offer for customers who are choosing renewable energy for their homes
Sept 2021
Month-on-month market share growth commences
Feb 2022
Suncorp Bank wins the Canstar award for most outstanding value in investment loans
Apr 2022
Suncorp Bank wins Money Magazine’s Bank of the Year and Business Bank of the Year awards for the fifth year in a row
Jul 2022
Suncorp Bank’s turnaround times are the lowest they have ever been. The lender becomes Australia’s first certified carbon neutral bank for both its operation and transaction services
Aug 2022
Milestones
As a founding member of WOW! (Women. Opportunity. Winning.), an employee resource group created for all women of Ryan Specialty, Phillips Topping has long championed for women in the industry.
“It’s very important to set an example and to not only inspire but mentor other females,” she adds.
In addition to her sharp marketing eye, the key to Phillips Topping’s success lies in her high-energy approach and positive attitude.
“As the leader of a team, it’s important to motivate and encourage your team members. People work very hard and do their best and it’s important to recognize these efforts. For my career overall, my attitude has been one of curiosity. The more you can learn, the better you’ll understand the business, and then the deeper your knowledge will become, making you a better team member.”
Chief underwriting officer of executive risk at Chubb
President of financial insurance solutions at Kemper
Chief underwriting officer at Axis Capital
CEO of global Insurance at Endurance
CEO of global Insurance at Sompo International
As CEO, her central challenge is shaping collective leadership. She asks how the shared leadership efforts at HIROC can contribute more than the sum of individual efforts, particularly when those she leads are high performers in their own right. It is, she acknowledges, a good problem to have.
“I am inspired every day by my female peers,” Gaulton says. “My optimistic and determined approach to life, truly a sense that most things are possible, along with my curiosity, interest in learning, and focus on relationships and building on the strength of what we collectively bring to an issue, may be what sets me apart.”
Working in a sector where assumptions about credibility persist, she has encountered moments when ambition and drive were not always welcomed. When faced with those assumptions, she invested in her expertise and focused on results. She also challenges the narrow image of what leadership in insurance looks like. Women balancing family and career, she argues, bring a skill set the industry would benefit from recognizing more fully.
Being named an Elite Woman carries responsibility. “Women frequently feed back to me that seeing me in leadership gives them hope that they can also do this,” she says. “With this in mind, I take my role as an example for others very seriously.”
The legacy Gaulton hopes to leave is measured in balance and contribution. She wants to be known for devotion to family and friends, commitment to colleagues and their success, and the quality of service delivered to clients.
“Women frequently feed back to me that seeing me in leadership gives them hope that they can also do this”
Catherine Gaulton,
Healthcare Insurance Reciprocal of Canada (HIROC)
“I am inspired every day by my female peers”
Catherine Gaulton,
Healthcare Insurance Reciprocal of Canada (HIROC)
“I’ve always believed that if you love what you do, you’ll never settle, and that attitude has guided every decision I’ve made”
Danny Ibrahim,
KeyRate Mortgage
“My strongest professional quality is my ability to build trust and long-term relationships, whether with clients, colleagues, or stakeholders”
Danny Ibrahim,
KeyRate Mortgage
“My strongest professional quality is my ability to build trust and long-term relationships, whether with clients, colleagues, or stakeholders”
Danny Ibrahim,
KeyRate Mortgage
“I’ve always believed that if you love what you do, you’ll never settle, and that attitude has guided every decision I’ve made”
Danny Ibrahim,
KeyRate Mortgage