The Co-operators Group Ltd. has appointed Karen Higgins as its executive vice-president and chief financial officer.
Effective June 1, Higgins will take over the role from Bruce West, who announced his retirement earlier this year.
“Succeeding Bruce West in this role is an honour and after 11 years of such profound leadership, where he built a strong foundation of great people and processes, I have big shoes to fill,” said Higgins in a news release. “I am very excited to carry this forward into the future, while working with our partners to build on our solid performance, seize new opportunities and challenges and lead our organization to further success.”
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Higgins, who joined the Co-operators in 2008 as vice-president of corporate finance, transitioned into the role of vice-president of finance, property and casualty operations in 2011 before moving to lead the finance team in the company’s life insurance operations.
“Karen’s reputation as a respected and effective leader is highlighted in her track record of building high performing teams, particularly during times of significant change with a keen focus on motivation, development and succession,” said Rob Wesseling, president and chief financial officer of the Co-operators.
“Over the past 10 years, her impact has been evident across the organization through the trusted business partnerships she’s built to deliver exceptional results. After a rigorous search that included many highly qualified internal and external candidates, we’re confident that Karen is well positioned to take on her new responsibilities.”
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