Mazen Mahfouz (BSc [Economics], University of Ottawa, 2000; MBA, University of Quebec in Montréal, 2005) started his career with Export Development Canada (1999 to 2004) and then worked at the Canadian International Development Agency (2004 to 2006). He joined Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada in 2006. At Headquarters, he has worked as a regional manager in International Financial Operations and as a trade commissioner with the Trade Commissioner Service’s Support Division. From 2008 to 2011, he opened Global Affairs Canada’s regional office in Victoria, B.C., and served as head of office. He has also worked as deputy director for Mexico Policy Relations in the North America Policy and Relations Division. Overseas, he served as commercial counsellor in Costa Rica, Honduras and Nicaragua (2012 to 2015), commercial counsellor in Peru and Bolivia (2015 to 2019) and, most recently, commercial economic counsellor in Spain and Andorra (2021 to 2026).