The Challenge
An international commercial insurance company embarking on its Canadian expansion faced an exceptionally narrow talent search. They needed to secure their first Canadian employee—a professional possessing the rare combination of commercial underwriting expertise in both the United States and Canada. The challenge was multifaceted: this was the company’s inaugural Canadian hire for their market entry; the ideal candidate required proven experience working in both American and Canadian commercial underwriting environments; and the insurance industry’s small, specialized nature made finding someone with this precise cross-border expertise extremely difficult. The talent pool was limited to the select few who had successfully navigated both regulatory landscapes and understood the nuances of commercial underwriting in two distinct markets.
The Solution
The recruitment strategy began with comprehensive stakeholder alignment through detailed discussions with USA-based hiring leaders to precisely define the ideal candidate profile. The search team then implemented a multi-layered targeting approach. Primary efforts focused on Canadian insurance companies that had expanded into the USA within the past decade, specifically identifying employees who had transferred from American operations back to Canada. This targeted approach recognized that these professionals would possess the exact bilateral experience required. The secondary strategy involved deep research into peripheral companies with analogous experience, particularly American banks with Canadian operations whose employees might have relevant commercial insurance exposure. To maximize reach, a strategic partnership was established with a USA-based recruiting firm to identify Canadian nationals currently working at American insurance firms who might be interested in repatriating to lead this new venture. This dual-market approach ensured comprehensive coverage of all potential candidates meeting the stringent requirements.
The Outcome
The exhaustive search process yielded 28 qualified candidates whose credentials and digital profiles matched the requirements. Through a rigorous evaluation process involving email outreach, phone screenings, and video conferences conducted over multiple sessions, the field was narrowed to three exceptional finalists. These top candidates were presented to the SVP of Global Recruitment for final consideration. The successful candidate came from an American bank’s Canadian operations, where they had been working on the client side of commercial insurance. This individual brought the perfect blend of cross-border experience and was motivated by the opportunity to return to the insurance sector in a leadership capacity, heading a team focused on commercial underwriting. The placement successfully provided the company with the specialized expertise needed to navigate both markets while establishing their Canadian presence.