Toronto-based Manulife Financial Corp. announced Tuesday that Marianne Harrison has been promoted to senior executive vice president and general manager, Canadian division, effective Jan. 1, 2013.

Harrison will report directly to Donald Guloien, Manulife president and CEO, and will also become a member of the company’s executive committee.

Her appointment to lead the biggest business unit in the Manulife group follows the mid-November appointment of Paul Rooney as chief operating officer of the whole company. Rooney will also report to Guloien.

“Marianne’s appointment is another example of how we are cross-developing our executive team at Manulife. She started in a corporate role and then transitioned to a line role; also moving seamlessly from Canada to the U.S., and back,” said Guloien. “She has excelled in each of her positions and built a solid reputation within and outside the company.”

Harrison joined Manulife Financial (TSX:MFC) in 2003, and prior to leading John Hancock Long-Term Care, had served as executive vice president and controller. Before that she was chief financial officer, wealth management at TD Bank Financial Group. Prior to that, she served as vice president, performance management, TD Canada Trust.

Harrison is a chartered accountant and holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Western Ontario and a Diploma in Accounting from Wilfrid Laurier University.

With files from the Canadian Press.