Brian Clow

Speaker's bio

Brian Clow is a Canadian political advisor who most recently served as the Deputy Chief of Staff to former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. In this role, he played a crucial part in shaping and managing the Prime Minister’s policy agenda, providing strategic advice, and overseeing various facets of government operations. As Deputy Chief of Staff, Clow oversaw the Policy, Global Affairs, Communications, Issues Management, and Parliamentary Affairs teams in the Prime Minister’s Office.

Clow played a key role in Canada’s policy decisions related to Ukraine, Russia, NATO, and broader defence policy. He joined Prime Minister Trudeau on three visits to Ukraine in 2022, 2023, and 2025 during Russia’s illegal and unjustified war on Ukraine. He served as the Prime Minister’s lead on Canada–U.S. relations following the election of President Donald Trump in 2017. He played a pivotal role in the renegotiation of NAFTA, diplomatic relations between Canada and the United States, and most recently, in managing Canada’s response to President Trump’s threats against the country’s sovereignty and economy.

Clow is also a seasoned political campaigner, having held senior roles in Justin Trudeau’s three winning election campaigns. Currently, he advises companies on navigating Canadian and U.S. government policy, Canada–U.S. relations, trade risk, and the increasingly complex geopolitical environment. He is a frequent media commentator, appearing in outlets including the Wall Street Journal, Reuters, Bloomberg, BBC, CBC, Radio-Canada, CTV, The Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, and others.