Prime Minister Mark Carney announced on Monday that financier Mark Wiseman will serve as Canada’s next ambassador to the United States, an appointment that comes at a critical time in relations between the two major trading partners.
Wiseman will assume the role on February 15 and will be involved in negotiations with the United States regarding the review of their free trade agreement.
“Mark Wiseman brings immense experience, contacts, and deep commitment at this crucial time of transformation of our relationship with the United States,” Carney said in a statement. “As a core member of our negotiating team, he will help advance the interests of Canadian workers, businesses and institutions.”
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Wiseman replaces Kirsten Hillman, who announced her resignation earlier this month as the two neighbours plan to review their free trade agreement.
The United States-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement, or USMCA, is up for review in 2026. US President Donald Trump negotiated the deal in his first term and included a clause to possibly renegotiate it in 2026.
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Wiseman, 55, ran the investment fund of the Canada Pension Plan and also managed equity funds at the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan. He is a friend of Carney, who ran the Bank of Canada from 2008 to 2013 and the Bank of England from 2013 to 2020.
In 2016, Wiseman became the senior managing director and global head of active equities at BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager.