Sébastien Dupuis (Assumption Life) on 120 years of legacy, innovation, and people
Sébastien Dupuis, President and CEO, Assumption Life (Canada) leads a company that has navigated over 120 years of history with a clear focus on innovation, cultural transformation, and people-centricity.
This interview delves into the strategic pillars driving Assumption Life's success, while sharing insights into how the company fosters a collaborative environment, encourages creativity, and adapts to the rapidly changing insurance landscape. Dupuis also discusses Assumption Life’s approach to leveraging digital tools, enhancing the client experience, and staying competitive as a smaller mutual insurer.
What are the main pillars that make up your strategy and how do you foster an environment that enables them? Have you undergone any cultural shifts recently?
Our strategy is built on three main pillars: experience, distribution, and efficiency. As a proud mutual with over 120 years of history, our purpose has always been to be there when our clients need us, and we are committed to making a difference in our communities. To foster an environment that supports these pillars, we emphasise open communication, continuous learning, and a culture of collaboration.
We are proud to offer our employees a positive environment where everyone can reach their full potential. Over the last four years, we have embarked on a major cultural transformation. We've received national awards for our culture, which highlight our continued growth towards a constructive, people-centric environment. These accolades recognise that Assumption Life values quality over quantity, that creativity is more important, and that collaboration leads to better results and higher levels of experience for clients and partners.
How do you ensure that your organisation maintains a people-centred focus during periods of significant change and upheaval?
During periods of change, we ensure a people-centred focus by maintaining open communication, providing support systems, and promoting a constructive culture that supports achievement-based behaviours and empathy. We also prioritise employee well-being through flexible work arrangements and mental health resources, ensuring our teams feel supported and valued. Our purpose-driven approach ensures we stay focused on what matters most—our people and our clients.
How do you encourage your employees to think creatively and bring new and innovative ideas to the table?
Our culture of innovation has been a cornerstone of our 120-year legacy, and it remains central to our future success. We foster this by encouraging our employees to collaborate across departments on cross-functional projects, breaking down silos and promoting diverse thinking. Every year, we organise "Leadership Week”, where our people deliver conferences on leadership topics to their colleagues. This year's focus was on trust and confidence—critical elements of effective leadership. These sessions provide a platform for exchanging ideas and learning from one another, creating an environment where innovation can thrive.
We’ve also institutionalised recognition of collaboration through our "Team of the Year" award, which honours employees from different departments who have come together to achieve exceptional results. By nurturing a culture of continuous learning and providing a safe space for experimentation, we empower our teams to think creatively and bring forward new ideas that help us stay ahead in the market. It’s this spirit of collaboration and innovation that will ensure we remain strong, agile, and responsive for another 120 years.
In what ways have you leveraged innovation to gain a competitive advantage in the market? How are you utilising digital to increase member value?
Innovation is at the core of our strategy to gain a competitive edge. As a company with over 120 years of history, we fully understand the importance of staying ahead through innovation. We were the first life insurance provider in Canada to offer a fully paperless process via our “Lia” sales platform, which simplifies the advisor’s workflow. “Lia” enables advisors to effortlessly quote and submit life insurance applications through one easy-to-use platform, improving efficiency and client satisfaction.
Our focus is on leveraging digital platforms to enhance both product offerings and customer service. Another key example is our “Vesta” investments platform, which allows advisors to complete sales entirely online. “Vesta” streamlines the entire application process, enabling advisors to focus more on growing their business while providing a seamless and improved experience for clients. This approach ensures that we provide valuable, efficient solutions for our advisors, clients, and employees alike.
What unique challenges do smaller companies face when competing against larger, well-established corporations? Can you share some strategies that have helped your company succeed in this landscape?
Smaller companies often face challenges such as limited resources and brand recognition. To overcome these, we focus on agility, personalised customer service, and niche market segments. Our strategies include building strong and sustainable relationships, leveraging our people’s expertise, and adopting innovative technologies to streamline operations and enhance customer experiences.
What opportunities do you see for smaller companies in the industry, and how can they best capitalise on these?
Smaller companies have the advantage of being nimble and more closely connected to their customers. Opportunities lie in specialised product offerings, personalised service, and community involvement. By focusing on these areas and staying adaptable to market changes, smaller companies can carve out a loyal customer base and differentiate themselves from larger competitors.
How are you adapting for the future?
As a 120-year-old company, our commitment to the future remains unwavering. We are adapting for the future by investing in digital transformation, enhancing our data analytics capabilities, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement. Our strategic initiatives include utilising advanced technologies to support our advisors and employees, improving internal processes to boost efficiency, and strengthening our distribution network and partnerships within the insurance ecosystem. Our cultural transformation over the past four years has been pivotal to this progress, ensuring we continue growing while making a meaningful impact on our communities.
How do you prioritise and enhance the client experience within your organisation?
Client experience is one of our strategic pillars and is at the heart of everything we do. We focus on providing an exceptional experience for our clients, partners, advisors, and employees. It starts internally, ensuring our employees have a positive experience so that they can, in turn, deliver outstanding service externally.
By actively listening to our clients' needs and gathering feedback, we ensure we are providing what they want. We continuously refine our services based on this input through customer journey mapping, investing in user-friendly digital interfaces, and ensuring our customer service teams are well trained, empathetic, and aligned with client expectations. This client-centric approach allows us to adapt and elevate the experience at every touch point.
What measures do you take to ensure continuous improvement in client satisfaction and loyalty?
To ensure continuous improvement in client satisfaction and loyalty, we implement regular client surveys and maintain open communication channels that allow us to collect qualitative data. We also analyse customer data to identify trends and areas for enhancements. By acting on this feedback and maintaining high standards of service, we strive to build lasting relationships with our clients.
Assumption Life is a new member of ICMIF, having joined the Federation earlier this year. What do you hope to gain from being part of ICMIF’s global network of mutual insurers?
As a new member of ICMIF, we hope to gain valuable insights and best practices from a global network of purpose-driven organisations. We look forward to collaborative opportunities, sharing knowledge, and participating in initiatives that drive mutual benefit, sustainability, and innovation in the insurance industry. Being part of this network will help us enhance our service offerings and contribute to a better future.
