Desai, Neil
Neil Desai, currently serves as Chief of Staff to the Honourable Beverley J. Oda, Minister of International Cooperation. He was appointed to this post by the Minister and Prime Minister in July, 2011.
Prior to his current appointment, Neil served as Director of Programs and Communications at the Munk School of Global Affairs located at the University of Toronto. In this role, he supported the development of the school’s research agenda and public affairs efforts. He also led practical workshops on international affairs for students in the school’s signature, Masters of Global Affairs program. He also directed various research projects on behalf of the school.
Neil previously served with the Government of Canada as Manager, Strategic Initiatives to the Rt. Honourable Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada from 2007-2010. In this capacity, Neil led projects on behalf of, and provided political advice to, the PM on issues pertaining to foreign affairs, immigration, international trade and competitiveness.
Before entering government, Neil was the Ontario Director of the Canadian Taxpayers Federation. He appeared regularly on television and radio to provide commentary on issues of government accountability, fiscal management and tax policy. He also wrote editorials that appeared in regional and national media.
Neil holds a master's degree in international political economy from the London School of Economics. He attended Princeton University for post-graduate studies in economics and completed a bachelor's degree with honours from Carleton University in Ottawa. He currently serves as a Fellow with the Munk School of Global Affairs.