Canada Life Reinsurance has appointed Thomas O’Brien as head of its Dublin office, the company confirmed in an announcement from CEO Jeff Poulin.
O’Brien will oversee operations in Dublin and contribute to the company’s global reinsurance business strategy. His appointment is intended to strengthen Canada Life Reinsurance’s presence in the Irish market and enhance its role in international reinsurance.
O’Brien brings more than two decades of actuarial and reinsurance experience to the role. Before joining Canada Life Reinsurance, he spent over 12 years with Hannover Re, most recently as general manager for life and health in Ireland and Canada.
In that position, he was responsible for business center operations for both markets. Earlier at Hannover Re, he served as head of pricing and senior pricing actuary.
His previous roles include chief risk officer and actuarial manager at Achmea, marketing actuary at Achmea, and financial reporting actuary at Aviva. He also held actuarial positions with Canada Life, Friends First, and Milliman Ireland.
O’Brien holds a bachelor’s degree in financial and actuarial mathematics from Dublin City University and studied at the London School of Economics and Political Science.
In his statement, Poulin said O’Brien’s leadership and experience would be important in expanding Canada Life Reinsurance’s capabilities in key markets.
“His appointment reflects our commitment to investing in top talent and deepening our capabilities in key markets. We’re excited about the journey ahead and the impact Thomas will have on our team and our clients,” Poulin said.
O’Brien’s appointment comes as Canada Life Reinsurance prepares to exit its US traditional life mortality risk reinsurance segment by Dec. 31, 2025. The move is part of a strategic refocus toward structured reinsurance, longevity risk, and catastrophe retrocession.
The company has indicated that this shift will allow it to concentrate resources on higher-growth areas, with European operations expected to play a greater role in executing the revised business mix.
The Dublin office has historically been a significant hub for Canada Life Reinsurance. More than a decade ago, it managed a £6.7 billion annuity reinsurance transaction with Standard Life, a deal that effectively doubled its operations in the city.
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