Canada Life has strengthened its executive committee with the appointment of Rose St Louis (pictured, left) as chief customer officer and Sean Christian (pictured, right) as chief operating officer (COO).
St Louis will join in July 2026, subject to regulatory approval.
In this new role, St Louis will lead the company’s customer strategy, covering engagement and working with teams to deliver a consistent experience for customers and adviser partners.
She joins from Lloyds Banking Group where she was protection director and CEO of Cavendish Online, and previously held senior roles at KPMG and Zurich Insurance.
Christian has been appointed chief operating officer on a permanent basis, alongside his role as managing director, wealth.
He has held the interim chief operating officer role since June 2025 and during this time led improvements in business and customer operations, as well as supporting record sales growth in the international wealth business.
St Louis said: “I’m delighted to be joining Canada Life at such a pivotal time and excited to help drive a step-change in how we serve and support our customers and advisers.
“My focus is simple: to put the needs of customers and advisers at the heart of every decision we make – deepening our understanding of what matters most to them, raising the bar across every interaction, and delivering experiences that genuinely make a difference.
“I look forward to working with colleagues across the organisation to challenge the status quo, accelerate our progress, and strengthen a culture where great customer and adviser outcomes define our success.”
Christian said: “As interim chief operating officer, I’ve seen first-hand the impact we can make when we simplify how we work and stay relentlessly focused on the needs of our customers and adviser partners.
“I’m delighted to take on the role permanently and to continue strengthening our operational foundations, so we can deliver consistently better experiences while supporting the business’s ongoing growth.
“In parallel, I’m also pleased to continue leading our wealth business and supporting the adviser relationships I’ve served for more than 20 years at Canada Life.”
Emma Watkins, chief executive at Canada Life UK, said: “Rose and Sean’s appointments reflect our absolute commitment to putting customers first, always.
“Rose will bring together our customer insight, experience and engagement into a single, powerful focus on delivering better outcomes for the 3.3 million customers and adviser partners who rely on us.
“At the same time, Sean’s leadership of our Operations function will ensure we continue to evolve how we work and strengthen the foundations that support our growth.”
Watkins added: “Together, these roles will help ensure that every decision we make, and every step we take as an organisation, is driven by what is right for our customers, today and for the long term.”