Scot of the Year 2008
Donald A. Stewart
Chief Executive Officer
Sun Life Financial Inc.
Donald A. Stewart was born in Lamlash, Isle of Arran in 1946. His Arran roots go back many generations. He left home to attend secondary school on the Isle of Bute. He then attended Glasgow University, graduating in 1968 with first class honours in Natural Philosophy.
He joined Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada in London and transferred to Montreal in 1972, shortly after qualifying as a UK actuary.
Mr. Stewart has spent four decades in financial services, including almost 35 years with Sun Life. Since becoming CEO in 1998 he has focussed the Company on international expansion. He led the successful demutualization of Sun Life in March 2000, and has since grown the company through acquisitions in Canada, the United States and Hong Kong. He was named International CEO of the year in November 2007 by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce.
Notwithstanding Mr. Stewart's Canadian base and international focus, he and his wife Qianqian visit Scotland regularly, maintaining close links with family members in Dumfries, Edinburgh and Lewis.
We are delighted that Mr. Stewart will be our Scot of the Year 2008.
View to the Isle of Arran where Donald Stewart was born