Julian J. Ovens

Mr. Julian Ovens is a Vice President with Crestview Strategy, based in Ottawa. He has extensive experience as an international corporate development leader, a natural resources executive, and a senior government advisor.

Prior to joining Crestview Strategy, Mr. Ovens was chief of staff to two of Canada’s international trade ministers, François-Philippe Champagne and Jim Carr, as well as a minister of foreign affairs, Stéphane Dion. In 2018 the Hill Times named him among the Top 40 Influencing Canadian Foreign Policy. He previously worked at BHP, the world’s largest natural resources company, most recently as Head of Strategy and Development, Potash (formerly Diamonds) in Saskatoon, and Project Director, Iron Ore Africa, Minerals Exploration, based in Singapore, and was engaged in Mergers & Acquisitions work globally for BHP Billiton Aluminium in London.

Previously, he worked in corporate Mergers & Acquisitions at (Rio Tinto) Alcan in Montreal and Paris. He began his finance career in investment banking in Global Metals & Mining at Credit Suisse First Boston in Toronto and his career in federal politics by working in several capacities at the House of Commons of Canada, including as an assistant to two Parliamentary Secretaries (Justice and Attorney General, and Environment). He studied economics and political science at the University of Ottawa before earning an Honours Business Administration degree from the Ivey Business School at Western University. Mr. Ovens was appointed to CCC’s Board of Directors on December 11, 2020.