BPM's Elite Women 2026: revealed

Benefits and Pensions Monitor’s Elite Women 2026 list shines a light on leaders whose work quietly shapes how Canadians live, work, and retire.  

These women design pension plans that keep promises, manage investments that fund futures and press for fairer, more resilient benefits systems.  

Honouring them matters because leadership in this sector still does not reflect the diversity of the people it serves, and because women’s voices at decision‑making tables shape how risk, responsibility and long‑term outcomes are understood.  

The recent list shows that equity in leadership is not just about filling seats, but about who defines the problems and whose experience guides the solutions.  

Gender diversity in senior roles strengthens how organizations assess risk, handle complexity and gauge the real‑life impact of financial decisions on members and their families.  

For women across the industry, seeing this work recognized sends a clear message: your expertise belongs here, and it can move systems, not just teams. 

One of these women is Nora Lamb of Suncor Energy Inc., who has built her career on disciplined judgment and a deep commitment to pension and benefit programs that protect employees’ long‑term financial well‑being. Her path has been anything but rigid.  

Early roles in employment and business law, payroll, and benefits gave her a broad view of how pensions intersect with people’s lives, and mentors helped her see that this work could be a vocation, not just a job.  

She gravitated to organizations where people “genuinely care about shaping outcomes that support long‑term financial security, resilience, and dignity” – work she calls “meaningful … with a purpose that extends well beyond the workplace.”  

In her current role, she encourages cross‑functional engagement and expects her team to test assumptions with analytical discipline.  

Her proudest achievement is leading “exceptional individuals” who embrace challenges with a growth mindset and feel supported to bring their best every day.  

For Lamb, being named an Elite Woman “reinforces the importance of visibility and representation in our industry” and becomes “an opportunity to uplift others” when it helps more women pursue their paths with confidence, curiosity, and intention. 

Another Elite Woman reshaping the pension landscape at scale is Celine Chiovitti, chief pension officer at OMERS.  

She leads a team of more than 400 people responsible for serving over 665,000 members and working with more than 1,000 employers and dozens of unions and associations.  

That scope means her decisions touch municipal workers, first responders, and countless other public servants whose retirement security depends on plans running smoothly every single day.  

Chiovitti’s grounding in public service is long‑standing.  

Before joining OMERS in 2013, she headed a division at the City of Toronto, overseeing pension, payroll, and benefits for more than 35,000 employees. Those experiences sharpened her conviction that well‑run pension systems are a public good.  

As a certified Employee Benefits Specialist (CEBS) Fellow and a member of OMERS’ executive leadership team and transaction approval committee, she brings technical rigour and a service mindset to every decision.  

Industry recognition, from being named one of Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 to appearing on BPM’s Hot List, reflects not only her influence but also the impact that careful, member‑centred administration can have on society. 

A further example from the 2026 cohort is Samantha Cleyn, country head of Canada at Ninety One Canada Inc., who operates at the intersection of global capital and Canadian retirement promises.  

She leads the firm’s Canadian commercial development, building relationships and raising assets with public and corporate pension plans, foundations and endowments, insurance companies, and wealth platforms, all while engaging closely with consultants at home and abroad.  

Cleyn’s earlier roles prepared her for this bridge‑building work.  

At BMO Global Asset Management, she served as managing director and head of institutional sales and service, crafting and executing the growth strategy for the institutional channel.  

Before that, she led institutional efforts nationally at T. Rowe Price, refining her understanding of how investment solutions must evolve alongside plan needs and regulatory expectations.  

Taken together, their stories, and their peers on the Elite Women 2026 list show what leadership looks like when skill, curiosity, and care meet long‑term responsibility.  

They question inherited practices, design systems that outlast individual careers, and open doors for the next generation.  

For women across this industry – whether you work on the front lines of member service, in investment teams, or in policy and governance – their journeys are an invitation to step forward, claim space, and shape the future of pensions and benefits in Canada. 

To meet the full cohort and see the breadth of roles, pathways, and impact they represent, read the full list of BPM’s Elite Women 2026 honourees here.