Powerful leaders, breaking boundaries

Sun Life's Laura Money and Oricia Smith named among Canada's Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Award Winners

TORONTO , Oct. 19, 2022 /CNW/ - Sun Life Financial Inc. SLF SLF is pleased to congratulate Laura Money, Executive Vice-President, Chief Information and Technology Innovation Officer and Oricia Smith, President, SLGI Asset Management Inc. and Senior Vice-President, Investment Solutions, Sun Life Canada, on being named among Canada's Most Powerful Women: Top 100 by the Women's Executive Network (WXN). Recognized in the KPMG C-Suite Executive category, Laura is being celebrated for her innovative leadership, strategic building of Sun Life's digital capabilities, and her exemplary advocacy for diversity in the workplace and across STEM industries. Oricia is being honoured in the Executive Leaders category, recognizing her extraordinary business accomplishments in the asset management industry, innovation in solving for retirement and estate needs of Canadians and championing of diversity, equity, and inclusion for the next generation of leaders.

Laura Money, Executive Vice-President and Chief Information and Technology Innovation Officer, Sun Life

Laura is re-defining what it means to be a woman in technology. She is the driving force behind Sun Life's digital transformation, leading Sun Life's investments to enhance its digital capabilities, deliver exceptional Client experiences and evolve how Employees work to meet Clients' changing needs. Laura has more than three decades of experience in technology and is a champion for building cyber-resilience, providing her thought leadership and counsel to advance the technology community across Canada, the U.S., and the UK. Her platform fuels her passion - developing and attracting the next generation of talent and driving diversity. Through mentoring, upskilling, and community engagement, women's representation in technology senior leadership across Sun Life has increased 10 per cent at the executive level, 50 per cent at the Assistant Vice-President level, and more than 20 per cent at the Director level under Laura's leadership.

"Laura has been the changemaker Sun Life needed, rallying the organization around a step change in our approach to technology and the digitization of our business," said Kevin Strain, President & Chief Executive Officer, Sun Life. "She has long believed people are at the heart of transformation, firmly putting the Client experience and our people at the centre to deliver on our Purpose for Clients when, where and how they need us. Laura and Oricia are impactful and purpose-driven leaders and everyone at Sun Life congratulates them on this well-deserved recognition."

Oricia Smith, President, SLGI Asset Management Inc. and Senior Vice-President, Investment Solutions, Sun Life Canada

As the first female president of SLGI Asset Management Inc., Oricia is responsible for the development, management, and growth of the organization. Behind her business strategy is a focus on building robust retirement solutions including both investment funds and insurance wealth solutions, as well as developing top talent and creating a culture that supports diversity, equity, and inclusion. Her goal is to empower, educate, and inspire women in the industry to break boundaries and spark change in a traditionally male-dominated industry. A champion of innovation and growth within Sun Life, Oricia is deeply committed to enabling advisors to engage in building deep and lifelong relationships with Clients, and that includes the next generation. Since joining Sun Life, Oricia has overseen the development and governance of over $150 billion of assets invested globally.

"Oricia joined Sun Life in 2016 and has shown tremendous leadership and commitment to empower women and underrepresented minorities within the asset management industry," said Jacques Goulet, President, Sun Life Canada. "Her passion for change is central to delivering on Sun Life's Purpose of helping Clients achieve lifetime financial security and live healthier lives. Her vision to create a sustainable future for Canadians has had a tremendous impact on our business, as well as our communities. Congratulations to Oricia on this well-deserved recognition."  

Launched in 2003, Canada's Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Award recognizes exceptional women leaders who contribute to advancing the societal and professional landscape for future generations. Since its inception, the WXN has celebrated over 1,000 women and their many accomplishments.

Learn more about Sun Life's commitment to sustainability, diversity, equity and inclusion.

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Sun Life is a leading international financial services organization providing asset management, wealth, insurance, and health solutions to individual and institutional Clients. Sun Life has operations in a number of markets worldwide, including Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, India, China, Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Bermuda. As of June 30, 2022, Sun Life had total assets under management of $1.26 trillion. For more information, please visit www.sunlife.com.

Sun Life Financial Inc. trades on the Toronto (TSX), New York (NYSE) and Philippine (PSE) stock exchanges under the ticker symbol SLF.

SLGI Asset Management Inc. is a subsidiary of Sun Life Financial Inc. It offers Canadians a diverse lineup of mutual funds and innovative portfolio solutions, empowering them to pursue their financial goals at every life stage. We bring together the strength of one of Canada's most trusted names in financial services, Sun Life, with some of the best asset managers from around the world to deliver a truly global investment platform. As of June 30, 2022, Sun Life Global Investments manages $51 billion on behalf of institutional and retail investors from coast-to-coast and is a member of the Sun Life group of companies. For more information visit www.sunlifeglobalinvestments.com or connect with us on Twitter @SLGI_Canada.

Note to editors: All figures in Canadian dollars

Media Relations Contacts:

Laura Torchia
Manager, Corporate Communications
T: 416-818-5613
laura.torchia@sunlife.com

Christine Testa
Manager, Corporate Communications
T: 289-237-1137
christine.testa@sunlife.com

SOURCE Sun Life Financial Inc.