Sun Life Financial
There’s no better way to really get to know what a company is like than by hearing it from the people who actually work here. See what a few of our Canadian actuaries have to say about why they became actuaries and why they like working at Sun Life Financial, in their own words.
Alon Halbrich
Director, Financial Risk Management
Toronto, ON Honours, Actuarial and Management Sciences, University of Manitoba
I’ve been an FSA, FCIA since 2008. I hold a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the Asper School of Business at the University of Manitoba in Actuarial and Management Sciences.
I decided to become an actuary to develop a strong business career. I’m a driven person and I enjoy the responsibilities and challenges that come with career advancement. Actuaries are knowledgeable and well-respected, qualities that help them build strong and successful careers.
As a director of financial risk managements, my responsibilities are many, and include identifying, monitoring and managing the key financial risks that Sun Life Financial Canada is exposed to. I have reporting responsibilities to senior management on our current risk levels and I lead projects related to those key risks we currently monitor or target for the future.
I chose to work at Sun Life for a variety of reasons. First and foremost is the organizational culture. Sun Life’s philosophy of building a better company through teamwork and support for each other really resonates with me. In addition it amazes me how much the company cares for its employees and how much effort is put in by senior management to help us develop the tools and experience to build strong careers.
This has provided the platform for a number of great opportunities in my short career at Sun Life. I’ve been able to work on a variety of projects and present results to senior management on numerous occasions. This has led to advancement and the strengthening of my leadership and presentation skills, as well as improvement of my project management and teambuilding abilities.
With an increased understanding of the insurance business as a whole, I have been able to broaden my thinking and focus on the big picture issues that impact Sun Life Financial.
Jiajia Wen
Associate Director, Planning and Risk
Toronto, ON Honours, Actuarial Science and Economics, University of Western Ontario
After graduating from the National Junior College in Singapore, I attended the University of Western Ontario, graduating from the Actuarial Science program with a Minor in economics. The nature of the actuarial education fit well with my mathematical aptitude and problem-solving mindset.
Beginning my career in Corporate Risk, I progressed quickly through the FSA exams, and moved into my current role in the Group Benefits Planning and Risk Management team. The role is project-based, requiring a strong understanding of all aspects of the Group Benefits practice, including pricing, valuation and underwriting. Financial management of reinsurance treaties between Group Benefits and external reinsurers is one of my principal mandates. Working in two unique areas of the business gave me a broader perspective and deeper understanding of how Sun Life operates as an organization.
I chose Sun Life Financial to pursue my actuarial career because of the company’s reputation as a great place to work. Since joining, my managers have expressed a sincere interest in my career progression, and have gone above and beyond their responsibilities to help me balance my day-to-day responsibilities and study time. They have always been willing to help ‘connect the dots’ between exam material and real-world scenarios. This has enabled me to progress quickly through the examinations, transforming academic knowledge into practical understanding.
Sun Life Financial promotes a positive work environment where I have connected with my peers both professionally and personally. Many of my colleagues had a wide spectrum of interests and backgrounds. Most enjoy a round of golf, showcasing their skills in our annual Sun Life Actuaries Golf Tournament. Others have talent in an array of interests such as photography, running marathons, martial-arts training, and even singing in the Toronto Mendelssohn choir. It makes working at Sun Life a positive experience: life’s brighter under the Sun!
Romy Silva
Assistant Vice President, Strategic Initiatives, Canadian Finance
Waterloo, ON Honours BA, Mathematics, University of Waterloo
I have had a number of different roles at Sun Life Financial. I have recently moved from AVP, Risk Management in Individual Insurance and Investments to a new role of AVP, Strategic Initiatives in Canadian Finance. In my new role, I am focused on the actuarial aspects of complex, cross-business unit financial projects, such as capital efficiency projects or reinsurance initiatives.
Since the integration of Sun Life Financial and Clarica in 2002, I have had 4 different roles at Sun Life Financial. These have been in the areas of risk management, finance/valuation and, most recently, strategic initiatives. These moves have provided me with many opportunities to gain broader knowledge and skills relevant to my career and have resulted in an interesting and challenging work environment. I have also been given the opportunity to do all this on a reduced (80%) work arrangement to optimize my work/family balance.
I enjoy the opportunities that exist at a large company to move around and learn new things. The company has also provided me with opportunities to do less traditional actuarial work. For example, in my Risk Management role, I had the chance to work very closely with the Audit, Compliance and Legal groups. There are also various opportunities to lead both actuarial and non-actuarial teams or to be an individual contributor.
