New Canadian ambassador appointed

The Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Lawrence Cannon announced the appointment of his country’s new ambassador to the Republic of Hungary, Tamara Guttman. She will have concurrent accreditation to the Republic of Slovenia and to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Ms. Tamara Guttman graduated from university in 1989 and began working for the Government of Canada in 1990 as a Foreign Service Officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada (formerly the Department of External Affairs).  She has served abroad in Budapest (1992-94), Seoul (1997-2000) and Copenhagen (2004-2006).  In Ottawa, she has held various assignments, including as Deputy Director of the Policy Coordination (Economic) Division and Director of the Mexico & North America Division.

She has also held the position of speechwriter and foreign policy advisor to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance (2001-2003).  Ms. Guttman most recently served as Minister-Counsellor (Political, Economic and Public Affairs) at the Canadian Embassy in Rome (2008-2010).  She speaks a number of foreign languages, including some Hungarian. In Budapest, she succeeds Mr. Pierre Guimond who has been serving as ambassador since September 2007.