Manulife, a global financial services company providing insurance, wealth and asset management and retirement solutions, has appointed Sinéad O’Connor as Chief Actuary, with the appointment taking effect on 12 October 2026.
O’Connor will report to Phil Witherington, President and Chief Executive Officer of Manulife, and will become a member of the company’s Executive Leadership Team.
O’Connor has been with Manulife since 2007 and has held a range of senior positions across the organisation. Before taking up her new position, she was Global Head of Inforce Management. Her previous roles at Manulife have included Deputy Chief Actuary, Head of Group Actuarial and US IFRS Chief Actuary, as well as senior positions covering Annuities, Long Term Care and Finance.
Witherington commented: “Sinéad’s strategic expertise, deep knowledge of our enterprise, and ability to lead highly engaged teams will make her an incredible Chief Actuary for Manulife. Her appointment reflects her robust experience and proven leadership, and I am confident she will define an impactful and results-driven next chapter for our Actuarial, Inforce, and Reinsurance teams.”
O’Connor brings experience across actuarial reporting, capital management, reinsurance strategy, risk management, inforce optimisation, operational transformation and enterprise performance. Her responsibilities have included managing the financial and risk profile of Manulife’s global inforce and legacy closed blocks, linking value management with operational performance, supporting multi-year financial outcomes through organic and inorganic strategies, and overseeing Canadian IFRS reporting requirements.
O’Connor added: “It is a privilege to take on this role and have the opportunity to lead a team of colleagues who approach their work with such care and expertise each day. Manulife has an incredible Actuarial function, and I look forward to building on our strong foundation to not only ensure rigorous inforce management, innovative reinsurance strategies, and actuarial excellence, but also embrace innovative approaches to help define the future of our industry.”
O’Connor is a Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries UK (FIA) and a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries USA (FSA). She is also working towards obtaining her Canadian FCIA accreditation. Derek Houle will continue to serve as Appointed Actuary until O’Connor completes the Canadian accreditation requirements.
The company said it will appoint a new Global Head of Inforce Management in due course. O’Connor succeeds Stephanie Fadous, who passed away suddenly last month.
