Craig DeSanto

Craig DeSanto is CEO & President of New York Life Insurance Company, the nation’s largest mutual life insurer. He has also been named to take over as Chair of the Board of Directors of the company effective April 15, 2023. New York Life provides insurance and investment solutions to individuals and businesses and operates one of the world’s largest global asset managers through New York Life Investments, with more than $750 billion in assets under management.

DeSanto was appointed to New York Life’s Executive Management Committee in January 2017 and has served as president since July 2020 and as a member of the company’s Board of Directors since February 2021. He became the company’s 19th chief executive on April 16, 2022.

DeSanto joined New York Life in 1997 as an actuarial summer intern. At different points in his career with the company, he led the retail life insurance business, the institutional life insurance business, and Eagle Strategies. In 2015, he was appointed leader of the company’s strategic businesses. He also led the acquisition of the New York Life Group Benefit Solutions business in 2020, the largest acquisition in New York Life’s history.

DeSanto earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Cornell University, is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries, and is a member of the American Academy of Actuaries.

With a workforce of more than 23,000 financial professionals and employees, New York Life had $702 billion in assets under management as of Dec 31, 2020. The company was founded on April 12, 1845, and has occupied its landmark headquarters on Madison Avenue in New York City since 1928. The company has more than 175 years of experience helping individuals build better futures for themselves and those they love.