In 2023, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Paul Thoppil as Canada’s first Indo-Pacific trade representative. This new position, an outcome of Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy, is focused on the enhancement of trade, investment and supply chain resiliency between Canada and countries in the Indo-Pacific. 

Thoppil, who has extensive experience in executive leadership roles in the federal public service, was previously assistant deputy minister, Asia-Pacific, at Global Affairs Canada, and led the development of the Indo-Pacific Strategy launched in November 2022. He received a 2021 Public Sector Award of Excellence for his contribution toward the release of Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig, two Canadian citizens arbitrarily detained for more than 1,000 days by China. 

Thoppil, a chartered professional accountant, has served abroad as Minister Commercial at Canada’s Embassy in Tokyo, Japan, advancing Canada’s trade, investment, and innovation links with that country. He has also served as senior assistant deputy minister and chief finances, results and delivery officer at Indigenous Services Canada and Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada, and positions at the Treasury Board Secretariat, the Department of Finance, and the Canadian Commercial Corporation.