Robert Wright
- Mentor 2011
- Alumni
Profile
Rob Wright has 35 years of economic, policy and management experience in the Public Service of Canada, over twenty years of which was at the Deputy Minister level, most recently as Deputy Minister of Finance. Mr. Wright began his federal government career as an economist with the Department of External Affairs. Over the next 12 years he held various positions at the National Energy Board, the Department of Energy, Mines and Resources, and the Department of Finance. In 1987, he was appointed Assistant Secretary to the Cabinet (Priorities and Planning) at the Privy Council Office.
Between 1989 and 2009, Mr. Wright held a number of positions at the Deputy Minister level, including: Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet (Plans); Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada; High Commissioner for Canada to New Zealand; Deputy Minister of Revenue Canada and the first Commissioner of the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency; Associate Secretary to the Cabinet, Deputy Minister to the Deputy Prime Minister and National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister of Canada; President and Chief Executive Officer of Export Development Canada; and Deputy Minister of Finance. Mr. Wright retired from his position as Deputy Minister of Finance on July 8, 2009 - the 35th anniversary of his employment in the Public Service of Canada.
Mr. Wright was presented with the Outstanding Achievement Award of the Public Service of Canada on June 30, 2005 by the Prime Minister of Canada.
In addition to leadership roles on public service committees and Boards, Mr. Wright has served actively with two Crown Boards managed by members from outside government. as Director, Export Development Canada Board of Directors, in his capacity as President and CEO (2005-2006); and as Director, Board of Management Canada Customs and Revenue Agency, as Commissioner of the Agency (1999-2003).
Mr. Wright was born in 1951 in Northwestern Ontario. He has a BA in economics from the University of Western Ontario (1973) and an MA in economics from the University of Manitoba (1975).