Ambassador in Town

Ian G. McKay, Ambassador of Canada to Japan

Ambassador of Canada to Japan

Ian G. McKay

Ian McKay, a native of Penticton British Columbia, studied political science and Asian studies at the University of British Columbia, and holds a Master’s of Business Administration Degree from Queen’s University, as well as an ICD.D designation from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto.Mr. McKay began his career in international financial markets with Euro Brokers Investment Inc in New York in 1987, later becoming Managing Director of Euro Brokers Tokyo in 1994, and joint Managing Director of Euro Brokers London in 1998. Subsequently, Mr. McKay was Director of Canadian Energy Markets for InterCapital Brokers NY between 2006 and 2009.

From 2001 to 2005, Mr. McKay served as a senior policy advisor to three federal cabinet ministers in the Government of Canada and from 2010 to 2013 as the National Director for the Liberal Party of Canada. Following his time in Ottawa, McKay served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Vancouver Economic Commission, the City of Vancouver’s economic development agency from 2013 until 2018.

In January 2018, Mr. McKay was named as the Prime Minister’s special envoy to Japan, to assist with Canada’s final negotiations of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. In March 2018, he was appointed as the founding Chief Executive Officer of Invest in Canada, responsible for promoting Canada as a premier global investment destination.

Mr. McKay was appointed as Ambassador of Canada to Japan on April 15, 2021 and presented his credentials to His Majesty the Emperor of Japan on August 25, 2021. He was named as Canada’s Special Envoy for the Indo-Pacific on April 19, 2023.