Rob Wright served as Canadian Ambassador to China from 2005-2009. He served as Ambassador to Japan from 2001-2005.

From 1995-2001 he was Canadian Deputy Minister for International Trade.

Over his 38 years in public service in the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade other appointments included:

• Deputy Head of the Canadian Embassy in Washington,
• Director General responsible for Canada-U.S. relations,
• Deputy Head of the Canadian Delegation to the WTO Uruguay Round of Trade Negotiations, and,
• Delegation to the GATT Tokyo Round of Trade Negotiations.

He has also served as a Director of Export Development Canada (EDC), Chairman of the Canadian Commercial Corporation (CCC) and Commissioner of the Northern Pipeline Agency. During his appointment in China he was concurrently accredited as Canadian Ambassador to Mongolia.

He was born in Montreal and attended McGill University.

He retired from public service in 2009. In addition to enjoying retirement, he writes, lectures and consults on Canada’s relations with China and Japan and on Canada’s foreign and trade policies.