DEAN CONNOR - CEO OF SUN LIFE FINANCIAL- INTERVIEW WITH BWM TOP 100 INNOVATION CEO

DEAN CONNOR - CEO OF SUN LIFE FINANCIAL HAS BEEN SELECTED BY THE JUDGES OF BUSINESS WORLD MAGAZINE'S ANNUAL AWARDS TO BE A RECIPIENT OF THE TOP 100 CEOS IN INNOVATION AWARD 2021.

THIS SELECTION FOLLOWS A STRINGENT PROCESS THAT EVALUATED OVER 40,000 NOMINEES TO SELECT THE EXCLUSIVE LIST OF 100 WINNERS.

Dean A. Connor is a Canadian businessman currently serving as President and Chief Executive Officer of Sun Life Financial, an international financial services organization. Sun Life is based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and has operations in 26 markets. Sun Life grew its underlying earnings per share by 12% per year1, delivered an annualized total shareholder return of 19%2, and grew assets under management from C$466 billion to C$1.2 trillion3, under Mr. Connor's leadership.

As Sun Life CEO, Mr. Connor has received significant recognition, including being named Canada's Outstanding CEO of the Year in 2017 and Ivey Business School Leader of the Year in 2018. He is a leader in numerous institutional and community organizations including the Business Council of Canada, the University Health Network and the United Way.

"We're thrilled to announce Kevin Strain as Dean's successor," said Mr. Anderson. "Our Board undertook a comprehensive process to ensure we found the best possible successor to Dean. We are confident that Kevin's background and career at Sun Life position him well to lead the company into the future. In addition to his passion for digital innovation and his unrelenting focus on the Client, he has a strong track record of transforming businesses and being a successful P&L leader and Finance executive."

"I have great confidence in Kevin," said Mr. Connor. "His leadership skills, character and experience will continue to drive Sun Life's growth and future success. I look forward to working with Kevin and my colleagues across Sun Life to ensure a smooth and seamless transition."

Mr. Strain joined Clarica in 1997, which was acquired by Sun Life in 2002, and played an instrumental role in the integration. He has held senior business and financial roles including the leadership of the Individual Insurance and Investments business in Canada where he successfully navigated the global financial crisis. He launched Sun Life Global Investments (now known as SLGI Asset Management) before assuming leadership of Sun Life Asia in 2012, where he expanded into Vietnam and Malaysia and built our distribution capabilities in the region. Mr. Strain returned to Canada in 2017 where he assumed the role of Executive Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer along with responsibility for Corporate Development and Enterprise Services.

"I'm honoured to be selected by the Board to lead Sun Life and to work with such a talented team of leaders, employees, advisors and partners to ensure we continue to innovate and grow," said Mr. Strain. "I've worked closely with Dean throughout his tenure as CEO and, like him, I'm committed every day to helping our Clients achieve lifetime financial security and live healthier lives. I'm passionate about Sun Life and our priorities of focusing on Clients, digital innovation, financial discipline, fostering a diverse and inclusive culture and sustainability."

Mr. Strain will continue working with Mr. Connor and the Board to name a new CFO in the first half of 2021. Until a new CFO is appointed, Mr. Strain will retain the title and responsibilities.

About Sun Life Sun Life is a leading international financial services organization providing insurance, wealth, and asset management solutions to individual and corporate clients. Sun Life has operations in a number of markets worldwide, including Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, India, China, Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Bermuda. As of September 30, 2020, Sun Life had total assets under management of $1,186 billion. For more information, please visit www.sunlife.com.