The Hon Chrystia Freeland

Chrystia Freeland, former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of Canada, currently serves as Economic Advisor to the President of Ukraine and is the incoming Chief Executive Officer of the Rhodes Trust.

Chrystia served as a Member of Parliament in Canada from 2013 to 2026. She served as Deputy Prime Minister from 2019 to 2024.

From 2020 to 2024, Chrystia served as Minister of Finance, becoming the first woman in Canadian history to hold the position. During this period, she played a central role in the global response to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, including the seizure of Russian sovereign assets to support Ukraine.

From 2019 to 2020, Chrystia served as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, helping to lead Canada’s united response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

From 2017 to 2019, as Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chrystia led the successful renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with the United States and Mexico.

From 2015 to 2017, as Minister of International Trade, Chrystia led the successful negotiation of a landmark free trade agreement between Canada and the European Union, the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA).

Chrystia has received numerous international honours. An esteemed journalist, editor, and author before entering public service, Chrystia has completed degrees at Harvard University and the University of Oxford, where she was a Rhodes Scholar.