Meet the Expert: Kate Della Mora, CEO, CFC Canada

As Canadian businesses face an increasingly complex risk landscape, Kate Della Mora is leading CFC’s mission to continue delivering exceptional response times, smarter protection and meaningful partnerships on the ground. In this interview, Kate reflects on her path to CEO, the exposures most affecting Canadian businesses today, and what’s ahead in 2026, from Broker Bootcamps and partner retreats to strengthening local underwriting and claims capability.

Tell us about your journey to becoming CEO of CFC Canada?

Two things I’ve always loved are diving into technical detail and connecting with people, so insurance felt like the perfect fit. I studied an insurance-specific course at university, and the rest was history. My first graduate role was with a multinational insurer, and I was immediately drawn in by the breadth of opportunities the industry offered.

I’ve now spent more than 20 years in the sector, focusing primarily on financial lines products such as errors and omissions, architects and engineers, and construction. While I spent most of my career on the underwriting side of the business, I also worked at a large global brokerage before joining CFC, which gave me a holistic view of the industry. This brought me closer to clients and deepened my understanding of the challenges brokers face, reinforcing the importance of tailoring risk solutions to each client’s specific needs.

Later in my career, as I gained more exposure to cyber, CFC always stood out as the benchmark: visible and dynamic, with products and services far ahead of the curve. In Canada especially, many carriers were only just entering the cyber space when CFC was already leading the way. I think this helped CFC be seen as an innovator from the get-go, as the business grew its portfolio beyond cyber, offering seamless, tailored multi line solutions well suited to Canadian clients.

CFC opened its first Canada office in 2024. How has that supported brokers and clients?

First I have to say our move to open a local office has been embraced and supported by brokers – and by clients – throughout Canada. Our local presence means CFC can enhance what we already do exceptionally well, such as improving our already market-leading response times, as well as enhancing existing relationships and forming new partnerships with a localized  perspective on the unique challenges Canadian industries face. 

Looking at cyber, CFC already holds a significant share of the market in Canada, but there is so much more growth potential as the landscape changes and evolves. At the same time, we’ve been promoting, supporting and expanding our market presence across all other lines of business that we offer small and medium-sized businesses – with key lines including E&O, transaction liability, management liability, technology, healthcare, and property & casualty. 

Since launching, we’ve made it a priority to get out into both big cities and smaller towns to build trust with brokers. Trust and accountability are at the heart of our business, and the relationships we’ve developed will continue to be critical to our success. 

What drives your commitment to enhancing broker partnerships and fostering a culture of continuous learning in Canada?

We’re primarily a people business. Technology helps us create efficiencies and connect more meaningfully with clients and brokers, but trust and accountability remain essential, especially in insurance where customers are purchasing an intangible asset. That’s why the human element matters so much.

It’s important to stay ahead of technological advancements while continuing to invest in people. We learn not only from our own data and experiences but also by listening to brokers, understanding client needs, and anticipating how the world is changing. This approach allows us to develop risk mitigation solutions and even create products before the demand is fully realized.

Bringing people and technology together is key. By combining conversations with data insights, we can proactively deliver solutions, learn from past successes and challenges, and ensure we provide the best products and expertise in the market.

What are the key cyber and technology exposures we’re seeing impact Canadian businesses?

Cyber risk affects businesses of all sizes, but smaller companies are often targeted more frequently because attackers assume they lack the same IT resources and protections as larger organizations. This is particularly relevant in Canada, where there are many small and medium-sized businesses. We’re also seeing a rise in threats like deepfakes and other AI-driven risks that are difficult to manage through traditional IT systems alone. Many of the incidents we encounter aren’t about gaps in technology; they stem from human error. As businesses become more reliant on technology, these exposures have a greater impact.

When cyber first emerged as a risk, it was viewed primarily as a privacy issue. Today, it’s much broader, encompassing business interruption and reputational damage. Meanwhile, threat actors are becoming more sophisticated and increasingly exploiting emotional vulnerabilities to attack businesses and individuals, amplifying cyber risk.

Can you tell us about anything exciting coming up in 2026?

This year we’ll continue working closely with our UK team to build on what’s already working so well. We’ve got some fantastic events lined up, including Broker Bootcamps and partner retreats designed to deepen relationships and give us fresh insights into what our partners need most.

We’re also expanding our local team and strengthening our claims service and underwriting capabilities in Canada. That means bringing in more distribution talent to get even closer to our partners and deliver an even better experience. Travel will keep us busy as always, but we’re also committed to creating more opportunities to collaborate as a team throughout the year.

What’s one thing people wouldn’t guess about you?

I’m a little bit Peloton obsessed and try to ride almost every day. Another thing people often find surprising is that before starting my career in insurance, I spent time working in an orphanage in Jamaica. Growing up in a small town in Ontario, that experience was truly eye-opening and gave me a much broader perspective on the world. 

And for a fun fact, I can recite the alphabet backwards in under ten seconds… don’t ask me how I learned that!