
Hasaan Gilani
@hasaangilani
Commercial insurance director at Wawanesa Insurance, accountable for national Midmarket operations and the portfolio’s P&L across Commercial P&C, Auto, and Farm.
What I'm looking for
At Wawanesa Insurance, I’m accountable for national Midmarket operations and the portfolio’s P&L across Commercial P&C, Commercial Auto, and Farm. I lead underwriting operations, including field production, renewals, and portfolio management.
Previously at Wawanesa, I led product teams for Commercial P&C, Farm, and Commercial Auto, with a focus on underwriting guidelines, rate and product changes, and product strategy. I also oversaw digital distribution strategy and the development of direct broker tools.
At Aviva Canada, I managed commercial underwriting portfolios and teams, including a portfolio with GWP of over $140M. My work spanned complex commercial risks, broker partnerships, and operational and financial performance.
I began my insurance career underwriting Farm risks at The Co-operators and later trained Farm underwriters and assistants. I hold an MBA, a Canadian Risk Management designation, and a Chartered Insurance Professional designation.
Experience
Work history, roles, and key accomplishments
Director, Commercial Insurance – Midmarket
Wawanesa Insurance
Sep 2025 - Present (1 year 2 months)
- National accountability for Midmarket operations across Canada, following the full transition and separation of Small Business and Midmarket teams.
- P&L ownership for the Midmarket portfolio across Commercial P&C, Commercial Auto, and Farm lines.
- Leading all Midmarket underwriting operations, including field production, renewals, and portfolio management.
- Establishing and embedding consiste
Director, Commercial Insurance - Product
Wawanesa Insurance
Nov 2023 - Aug 2025 (1 year 9 months)
- Spearheading the Executive Office product teams for Commercial P&C, Farm, and Commercial Auto lines, with a focus on guideline development, rate product changes, and driving forward-looking product strategy.
- Overseeing digital distribution strategy and leading the innovation of direct broker tools for small business P&C and IRCA.
- Accountable for national growth and bottom-line targets across
Regional Vice President - Central
Ecclesiastical Insurance Office plc (Canada)
Apr 2023 - Nov 2023 (7 months)
- Heading the largest region, managing diverse segments including Faith, Non-profits, Education, Retirements, Arts & Heritage.
- Leading a top-performing team of Underwriters, Assistants, and a Regional Underwriting Manager.
- Driving strategic growth and profitability, whilst managing risk with a top-performing team.
- Building and sustaining robust relationships with stakeholders, delivering exc
Head of Underwriting, Branch Leader (AVP)
Aviva Canada
Mar 2020 - Apr 2023 (3 years 1 month)
- Managing GWP of over $140M through a transformational change towards sustainable growth
- Portfolio includes contractors, fleets, manufacturing, business & professionals, warehousing and programs
- Leading a team which includes managers, specialists, underwriters and assistants
- Ensuring that operational and financial performance, along with regulatory and technical standards are met
- Establis
Commercial Lines Underwriting Manager
Aviva Canada
Feb 2018 - Mar 2020 (2 years 1 month)
- Lead a team of P&C and Auto Underwriters including support staff
- Manage a book of over $25,000,000 in Gross Written Premium
- Work with individual team members to increase individual performance and set improvement goals
- Determine areas of improvement for cost control and initiate changes
- Ensure good workings relationships with a network of brokers partners
Mid-Market Field Underwriter
Aviva Canada
Oct 2016 - Feb 2018 (1 year 4 months)
- Focus on large complex commercial risks
- Building relationships with broker partners to grow book of business
- Maintenance and retention of the book of business
- Mentoring junior underwriters and assistants
Senior Commercial Underwriter
Aviva Canada
May 2014 - Oct 2016 (2 years 5 months)
- Large Commercial and Mid-market
- Focus on Realty, Tranportation, O&G, Contractors, Manufacturing and Warehousing
- Engage in networking to grow book of business, perform regular broker visits
- Mini Team Leader, managing tasks and mentoring team
Commercial Underwriter & Marketer
RSA Canada
May 2012 - Apr 2014 (1 year 11 months)
- Underwrite Mid Market operations with exposures including Cargo, Manufacturing, Business & Personal Services, Oil & Gas Operations, Industrial Realty
- Review and Process new business submissions, endorsements and renewals
- Engage in networking to grow book of business, perform regular broker visits
- Problem solve broker issues
- Procedural Training for Farm Underwriters and Assistants
- Perform procedural and technical audits
- Designing new training techniques using tools such as Cisco's Webex
- Expertise in Coop tools such as GNQR, CFC, FIPT
- Underwrite Medium Risk Farms with exposures such as Equestrian, Umbrella Liability, Custom Farming, Commercial and Cargo Operations
- Review and Processes new business applications, endorsements, including High Risk Specialized - Farm Policies (Dairy, Hog, Poultry etc)
- Review existing policies at renewal
- Perform Claims Analysis
- Problem solve agency issues
- Underwrite Low Risk Farms
- Review and Processes new business applications, endorsements
- Review existing policies at renewal
- Worked on the BC Rollover Project in completing conversion from other policies and translating to Coop policies
- Perform Claims Analysis
- Problem solve agency issues
Education
Degrees, certifications, and relevant coursework
Edinburgh Business School, Heriot-Watt University
Master of Business Administration - MBA
2019 - 2026
RIMS (Risk and Insurance Management Society, Inc.)
Canadian Risk Management (CRM)
Mar 2016
Insurance Institute of Canada
Chartered Insurance Professional (CIP)
Apr 2014
University of Saskatchewan
HBA, Business Economics
2005 - 2009
Econometrics
International Trade and Commercial Policy
Portfolio Theory and Investment Analysis
Quantitative Methods of Economics I & II
Intermediate Micro & Macro Economics
Labor Economics
Economics in Transition
Tech stack
Software and tools used professionally
Availability
Location
Authorized to work in
Salary expectations
Social media
Job categories
Skills
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