Blue Cross Life appoints new chief financial officer

Blue Cross Life Insurance Company of Canada (Blue Cross Life) has announced that it has named Patrick Gelinas as its new chief financial officer.

As CFO, Gelinas will oversee the company’s finance, investments, internal audit and corporate development. This includes administering Blue Cross Life’s financial controls and reporting procedures to grow the company, ensure its financial strength, enhance its operating efficiency, and ensure it meets federal regulatory financial reporting requirements.

Gelinas succeeds Tim Mawhinney, who was appointed as the company’s new president and CEO earlier this year. Gelinas has over 15 years of management experience at global insurance companies, and he joins Blue Cross Life from Optimum Life Reinsurance, where he served as vice president of finance.

Gelinas holds a Chartered Professional Accountant designation and a bachelor of commerce degree from HEC Montreal.

“Patrick’s record of outstanding leadership and excellence will be valuable assets as we build toward the next phase of our organization’s strategic growth,” said Tim Mawhinney. “We welcome Patrick to the Blue Cross Life team and the experience he brings to us in helping achieve our organizational objectives.”

“I am pleased to be joining one of Canada’s leading life insurers at an exciting stage in its evolution,” said Gelinas. “I look forward to working with the team to ensure the organization stays financially strong and continues on its growth trajectory.”

Read more: Insurers form national alliance in Canada

In 2020, Blue Cross Life joined a national alliance with Pacific Blue Cross and Blue Cross Canassurance, which made the latter two shareholders of Blue Cross Life. This brought Pacific Blue Cross and Blue Cross Canassurance in line with other members of the Canadian Association of Blue Cross Plans – namely, Alberta Blue Cross, Saskatchewan Blue Cross, Manitoba Blue Cross, and Medavie Blue Cross.