Professional Affiliation

Principal, GT&Company Executive Advisor

Expert Bio

As Canada’s Chief Trade Negotiator from 2017 to 2021, Steve Verheul was responsible for negotiating Canada’s most important trade deals including the new NAFTA (CUSMA/USMCA) and Canada-European Union trade agreement. Most recently he served as a special advisor on trade policy to Canada’s Deputy Minister of Finance.

Hailed by media and pundits as the “most important Canadian you’ve probably never heard of”, Mr. Verheul’s support for our clients is game-changing. His network, expertise and relationships in domestic and international markets is unparalleled.

During his 34 years in the federal public service, he was Assistant Deputy Minister of the Trade Policy and Negotiations Branch at Global Affairs Canada and appointed as Canada’s Chief Trade Negotiator for negotiations between Canada and the European Union in the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade from 2009-2016, leading that negotiation from its beginning through to its successful conclusion.

He was previously Canada’s Chief Agriculture Negotiator from 2003 to 2009, responsible for leading Canada’s involvement in international trade negotiations on agriculture, including the WTO. During his tenure at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, he worked on the NAFTA negotiations, the Uruguay Round of Multilateral Trade Negotiations that led to the establishment of the World Trade Organization (WTO), and the Doha Round of WTO negotiations.