One of Canada ’ s most powerful women , and the first female President of SLGI Asset Management , Oricia Smith is helping to change the face of the industry As one of Canada ’ s most powerful women , Oricia Smith believes power comes from asking the right questions . “ As a female in a male-dominated industry , I see the value I can bring in building relationships and the power in asking the right questions ,” Oricia tells Business Chief just days after being named among Canada ’ s Most Powerful Women by the Women ’ s Executive Network ( WXN ).
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Changing the face of asset management
One of Canada ’ s most powerful women , and the first female President of SLGI Asset Management , Oricia Smith is helping to change the face of the industry As one of Canada ’ s most powerful women , Oricia Smith believes power comes from asking the right questions . “ As a female in a male-dominated industry , I see the value I can bring in building relationships and the power in asking the right questions ,” Oricia tells Business Chief just days after being named among Canada ’ s Most Powerful Women by the Women ’ s Executive Network ( WXN ).
Committed to being an authentic and transparent leader , one who champions growth and innovation across her team and business , Oricia says her biggest learning over the years is that as females “ we need to ask for help ” – it ’ s not a sign of weakness .
“ You don ’ t need to know all the answers . What you need is to be able to ask the right questions . There is value in getting to the root cause of the issue . The simplest questions sometimes lead to the best discussions and insights .” It ’ s a lesson in leadership that has helped Oricia not only climb the corporate ladder but break the glass ceiling and become the first female president of Sun Life Global Investments .
“ Being powerful is one thing , but I also believe it ’ s important to have a strong team who shares the same vision as you . Having the right people , with the right skills all working together , aligned to the same purpose , is what drives success .”
Since joining Sun Life in 2016 , Oricia has been responsible for the governance of more than CAD $ 150bn of assets invested globally .
16 January 2023