Canada Life has appointed Rose St Louis as its first chief customer officer and confirmed Sean Christian as permanent chief operating officer.
St Louis (pictured, left) will join the insurer in July 2026, subject to regulatory approval, in a newly created role focused on customer strategy, engagement and adviser partner experience.
She joins from Lloyds Banking Group, where she was most recently protection director and chief executive officer of Cavendish Online, the UK protection business.
St Louis has also held senior distribution and commercial roles at KPMG and Zurich Insurance.
Christian (pictured, right) has been appointed chief operating officer with immediate effect, alongside his existing role as managing director, wealth.
He has been interim chief operating officer since June 2025, during which Canada Life said he had overseen improvements in business and customer operations, alongside record sales growth in the international wealth business.
Emma Watkins, chief executive of 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.
“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.”
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.”
