Melanie Hoad

Melanie Hoad is the Vice President, Head of Legal and Compliance, Canada, at Sompo, a property and casualty commercial insurance company. As the first in-house legal counsel for Sompo’s Canadian operations, she plays a pivotal role in shaping the company’s legal and compliance strategies to support its growth.

With over two decades of experience in the insurance and legal sectors, Melanie has cultivated a career defined by strategic leadership and deep industry expertise. Before joining Sompo, she served as Vice President, Head of Legal, Risk, and Compliance at CNA. Earlier, she held roles at Chubb, including Counsel for Global Litigation (Canada), where she provided coverage opinions and managed corporate litigation across all business lines. She began her legal career as a commercial litigator in private practice, spending a decade at leading law firms in Toronto and Barrie, honing her advocacy and problem-solving skills.

Melanie holds Certified Insurance Professional (CIP) and Canadian Risk Management (CRM) designations, alongside a Certified Information Privacy Professional/Canada (CIPP/C) certification. She earned her Bachelor of Laws degree from Western University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from McGill University.

Melanie is also an active volunteer with the Ontario chapter of Women in Insurance Cancer Crusade (WICC) and Holland Bloorview Kids Rehab Hospital’s “Capes for Kids” fundraiser

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