Christine Panet-Raymond designs and develops programs for Willis Towers Watson (WTW), the third-largest insurance broker and actuarial consulting firm in the world.
Panet-Raymond heads the company’s affinity insurance practice — whereby clients can offer discounts on insurance to their group’s membership — in Canada, leads North American affinity initiatives and oversees programs for a wide range of clients, from big banks to airlines and global hospitality chains like Marriott. As a travel and credit-card insurance expert, Panet-Raymond is a frequent speaker at national and international conferences. She is also a supporter of Executive Women, a business resource group for women in the workplace.
“What’s fascinating to me about the affinity insurance sector is that it’s so broad in nature, involving actuarial, technology, product, digital marketing, operations, customer experience and legal expertise, leaving room for a lot of creativity,” says Panet-Raymond.
Career milestones
“Becoming a partner and owner of Avalon Actuarial, a private Canadian firm, which was an exciting shift in my career. Being part of an entrepreneurial team, co-founding the affinity practice, helping to grow the firm for 15 years and selling it to Willis — a public multinational company with global reach, resources and clients.”
Career reflections
“I have a passion for new experiences and like to challenge myself to keep learning. Choosing a non-traditional path in the actuarial field has been very rewarding.”
The Concordia factor
“I graduated during a recession with four internships under my belt, thanks to the Co-op program. That led to three job offers, a rarity at that time. I’m extremely grateful for those internship experiences. I also gained lifelong friends at Concordia, two of whom work with me at WTW.”
Inspiring professor
“I had a love of math but knew very little about the actuarial profession. Professor José Garrido articulated the potential and diverse possibilities of an actuarial career, and that sealed the deal for me.”
Words of wisdom
“Take advantage of mentorships and networking opportunities as early on as possible in your career. They can create future connections and long-term benefits.”