Canada taps former China envoy Dominic Barton to steer Invest in Canada

Mark Carney revealed that Dominic Barton, a former senior McKinsey executive and Canada’s ambassador to China between 2019 and 2021, will become chair of the board of Invest in Canada. Barton’s tenure in Beijing coincided with the high-profile detention of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, and he later joined Rio Tinto as chair. Carney also introduced Gurinder Grewal as the new chief executive officer of the agency.

Invest in Canada, an independent body established in 2018, is tasked with drawing foreign investment to boost Canada’s economic resilience. The appointments are presented as a move to leverage Barton’s international network and Grewal’s financial expertise. The government expects the leadership change to help catalyse billions in new capital for the country.