Biographical notes

Brahim Achtoutal (BA [Business Administration], Institut supérieur de commerce et d’administration des entreprises, 1992; MA [Business Administration], HEC Montréal, 2003; Diploma [Accounting], McGill University, 2004) joined the Government of Canada in 2009. Since 2015, he has served as chief audit executive at Global Affairs Canada. Prior to joining the government, he worked for 15 years in the private sector, including senior positions in the banking industry and with an international accounting and consulting firm. He is a chartered professional accountant and a certified internal auditor, and he holds a Certification in Risk Management Assurance.

Patrice Cousineau (LLB, University of Montréal, 1990) was called to the Quebec Bar in 1991 and joined External Affairs and International Trade Canada in 1992. At Headquarters, he was deputy director of the Humanitarian, Human Rights and Economic Law Division from 2000 to 2003; director of the Oceans and Environmental Law Division from 2010 to 2012; and director of the Commonwealth and La Francophonie Division from 2016 to 2019. Overseas, he served in Seoul as political officer from 1994 to 1997; in Hong Kong as head of the Political and Economic Relations and Public Affairs Section from 2003 to 2007; in Beijing as embassy spokesperson, counsellor and head of the Public Affairs Section from 2007 to 2010; and in Bangkok as counsellor and head of the Political and Economic Relations Division from 2012 to 2016.

Mark Glauser (BA Hons [History and Political Science], University of Saskatchewan, 1990; MA [Political Science], Dalhousie University, 1992) joined External Affairs and International Trade Canada in 1993. At Headquarters, he was executive director of the Threat Assessment and Intelligence Services Division from 2010 to 2015, director of operations at the Privy Council Office from 2015 to 2016, director general of the Middle East and Maghreb Bureau from 2016 to 2017 and director general of the Middle East Bureau from 2017 to 2019. Abroad, he served in Geneva from 1996 to 1999, where he dealt with non-proliferation and disarmament issues; in Jordan from 2002 to 2005 as counsellor and head of the political program; and in Washington, D.C., from 2005 to 2010 as counsellor.

Sandra Shaddick (BIB, Carleton University, 2000) joined the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade in 2001. At Headquarters, she held positions in the Office of the Deputy Minister for International Trade from 2005 to 2006 and was seconded to the Machinery of Government Secretariat at the Privy Council Office from 2006 to 2009. From 2009 to 2011, she was deputy director in the Northeast Asia Division. Abroad, she served as trade commissioner in Washington, D.C., from 2002 to 2005 and as senior trade commissioner in Lima from 2012 to 2015 and in Buenos Aires from 2015 to 2018. Most recently, in 2019, she served as executive coordinator for Transparency Innovation and Compliance and promoted Open Government principles and practices at Global Affairs Canada.