Carney Names Canada’s Former China Envoy Barton to Oversee Group That Attracts Foreign Investment

Dominic Barton, Canada’s former ambassador to China, has been named chairman of the board of Invest in Canada, an organization tasked with attracting foreign investment to Canada.

Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Aug. 31 that Barton will serve part time for three years, replacing Karl Tabbakh, who recently completed his term. Gurinder Grewal was appointed the organization’s chief executive officer and will serve full time for five years.

Grewal is the founder and managing partner of MEM Growth Partners and previously spent more than a decade at Advent International, where he was a partner and co-head of Industrials, Infrastructure, and Energy.

Barton is chairman of Rio Tinto and LeapFrog Investments and spent more than 30 years at McKinsey & Company, including nine years as global managing partner. He also chaired Canada’s Advisory Council on Economic Growth and served as Canada’s ambassador to China from 2019 to 2021.

His appointment as ambassador was controversial amid criticism by the Conservatives because of his business ties to China as a former executive with McKinsey.

After the latest announcement, the Conservatives once again criticized Barton’s appointment by the Liberal government, pointing to his time at McKinsey with endeavours in the Xinjiang region, home to the persecuted Uyghur people, among other criticism.

“Carney has appointed the ultimate Liberal powerbroker to head up the government’s corporate welfare agency,” Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said on social media. “And he was the man at McKinsey who cozied up to the Communist government in Beijing, even working with state-owned companies that violated international law and he refused to condemn the Uyghur genocide.”

The Liberal government is praising Barton as an experienced business leader with public service experience.

“Mr. Barton brings extensive experience in global business, investment, and public service,” the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said.

Dominic LeBlanc, the minister who oversees Invest in Canada, also praised Barton and Grewal.

“Canada has what the world needs – critical minerals, clean and conventional energy, and the skilled workforce to build major projects at scale,” LeBlanc said. “I know that Mr. Grewal and Mr. Barton will bring exactly the experience needed to build on Invest in Canada’s strong foundation and attract global capital to the projects that will define Canada’s economic future.”

According to the PMO, Barton and Grewal will focus on attracting investment in Canadian energy, critical minerals, artificial intelligence, and infrastructure.