Sarah’s Actuarial Career: From Numbers to New Horizons

When Sarah Cheng thinks about measuring success, she doesn’t tally titles. Instead, she asks a simple question: “Did we create something that stands the test of time, and have we maximized the potential of the company, the team, and myself?”

Today, as MVP, Protection (Europe & North America) based in Toronto, Sarah brings a unique lens shaped by a career that spans several functions and specialties. Her journey has included deep actuarial expertise, leadership roles across multiple areas of the business, and a growing passion for connecting technical work with strategic impact.

Sarah’s career began with a love of numbers. “In school I was interested in math and chose actuarial science because of its applicability to my strengths,” she shared. Over the years, she steadily built technical foundation and broadened her responsibilities, taking on roles that strengthened her understanding of risk, pricing, and the broader insurance ecosystem.

A pivotal moment came when she was asked to lead several areas outside traditional actuarial work, including treaty management, client solutions, legal, and investment coordination. “At the time, I thought this was a role that deviated from my career path and took me away from my core competencies,” Sarah said. “However, looking back, it provided expanded insight into the industry and accelerated my growth.”

That experience sharpened her instincts and helped her connect technical insights with commercial outcomes - perspective she continues to carry into her leadership today.

Reflecting on recent challenges, Sarah points to a particularly complex year in which she helped launch a new branch within the business while simultaneously implementing major regulatory and reporting updates. “That was the year I came to appreciate good project management,” she said. “Being nimble and strategic in handling unexpected changes is inevitable when completing a large and complex program.”

When the day gets messy, she returns to a grounding mindset: “A change in mindset will often provide the necessary clarity to overcome many challenges.”

It’s advice she shares often with colleagues beginning their careers: “Focus on being impactful on your immediate task while not losing sight of the bigger picture.”

Today, Sarah is motivated by the opportunity to contribute at a strategic level. “As I acquired experience, I became even more interested in the ecosystem of the industry. This motivated me to think at a higher level and make a bigger impact.”

Her career shows how multi‑faceted skill sets become an advantage; a reminder that careers aren’t just ladders; they can be lattices too.