Christopher Cooney, FCIA(1999)

Position statement

With 34 years of actuarial experience and a deep commitment to our profession, I am excited to seek election as a Director of the CIA. Currently serving as Vice-President of Data and Analytics at TD Insurance, my career has focused on direct-to-consumer personal lines pricing in the property and casualty domain. Having served employers with diverse portfolios, I have also applied my expertise to products in the life, travel, disability and group benefits specialties.

Throughout my career, I have consistently supported our profession and industry. I am proud to have played a key role in developing the CIA’s policy statement Big data and risk classification: Understanding the actuarial and social issues (2022), which promotes an understanding of complex market and economic forces, including anti-selection in insurance, and the potential implications to actuarial and social fairness. My industry involvement includes longstanding work on the Facility Association Board, the General Insurance Statistical Agency (GISA) Board, and chairing GISA’s inaugural Industry Advisory Committee. I have also participated in Insurance Bureau of Canada advisory committees and delivered numerous presentations at CIA and industry events.

As a professional, my work has been highly focused on the complex issues associated with pricing in competitive, highly regulated and often volatile markets. With scientific and actuarial advancements, my knowledge has similarly evolved to include the development of sophisticated analytics, machine learning and generative AI models. As an industry expert, I have also supported regulatory reforms through participation on the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario’s Technical Advisory Committee, and with presentations on bias and fairness in pricing. Consistently at the forefront of new technology, my advocacy for a modernization agenda and enhanced governance practices are skills I believe will be directly transferable to a potential role on the CIA Board.

Key priorities

Managing climate and economic risks
Climate change and economic disruption threaten industry profitability and stability. The CIA has a significant role to play in building research and development agendas that further our understanding of these risks.

Harnessing AI for actuarial innovation
As generative AI and large language models (LLM) become ubiquitous, the CIA must adapt to maintain our relevance and incorporate the usage of these technologies in our practice. We should also explore their usage to support our membership with innovative tools that can provide trustworthy advice regarding complex standard of practice scenarios and other difficult issues that our members face.

Expanding diversity in actuarial science
My personal work developing an actuarial and data science awareness program with the International Association of Black Actuaries has provided me with valuable insights into new ways to expand our reach into diverse communities.

A vision for the future

My vision centers on adapting our profession to emerging challenges and opportunities while ensuring it remains inclusive and reflective of our communities. I believe in continuous learning, ethical practice and collaborative leadership – principles that would guide my tenure as a CIA Director. 

I look forward to engaging with you, and welcome discussions on how we can collectively shape the future of our profession.