Meghan Callaghan | Hub International Canada

Meghan Callaghan, Chief Operating Officer, Hub International Canada

Meghan Callaghan tells women looking to advance in the P&C insurance industry three things.

First, “get in the room where it happens, as soon as you can,” says HUB’s new chief operating officer.

By that, she means women should strive to be present where strategy is debated and decisions are made.

“Being present in those spaces demystifies leadership,” she tells Canadian Underwriter. “It gives women the opportunity to understand how direction is shaped and how to influence it.”

Second, don’t let setbacks derail you.

“There’s good news and bad news,” she says. “The bad news is, we all make mistakes. The good news is, the only way you learn is by making them.”

Finally, hurdles are inevitable, Callaghan says, whether navigating organizational change, working through personality differences or managing large team transitions. The key is perspective, she says.

“When a really big hurdle shows up, know that the sun is going to rise tomorrow,” she says. “Get up every day, be intentional, and do the next right thing.”

From falling in to staying in

Like many in the industry, Callaghan didn’t set out to build a career in insurance. But now she can’t imagine her life any different.

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While in university, she took a job as a receptionist and file clerk at a brokerage owned by a family friend. “It helped pay tuition, and after graduation the opportunity to stay felt like the path of least resistance,” she recalls.

More than 20 years later, she says she’s never looked back.

“I love the diversity of roles and the opportunity to learn. If you’re good at building relationships and you have a strong skill set, you really can write your own ticket,” she says.

Over the course of her career, Callaghan has worked in various commercial insurance roles, building programs for complex and hard-to-place sectors and developing deep industry relationships. In 2026, she stepped into the role of chief operating office after serving as executive vice president of commercial lines. But titles are only part of the story, she says.

Helping people achieve their goals, both clients and colleagues alike, keep her motivated. “That’s what still excites me,” she adds.

The four Cs

More recently, Callaghan has begun giving herself what she calls an annual “report card” built around four pillars: critical thinking, creativity, curiosity, and coachability.

“If you’re strong in these areas, you’re going to be able to advance in a meaningful way,” she says.

She also advises women to take advantage of mentors and sponsors, both of which she credits as instrumental in her own career. “Mentors guide and share experience. Sponsors are the people willing to expend their social capital on your behalf, advocating for you in rooms where promotions and opportunities are decided. Both are equally important to growing your career,” she says.

Building a more inviting industry for women requires intention, she says, from flexible hybrid work models to deliberate career-pathing conversations that prepare women for leadership roles.

“Success is not a finite pie,” she says. “It’s not a zero-sum game. We need to lift each other up.”

She believes the next decade will be transformative for women in insurance. But only if they step forward.

And the first step, she says, is making sure you’re in the room.