Dr. Nicole Giles – VISS25
Senior Assistant Deputy Minister and Deputy Director Policy and Strategic Partnerships, CSIS
Nicole Giles is the Senior Assistant Deputy Minister and Deputy Director of Policy and Partnerships at the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS). Her portfolio includes strategic policy, public and foreign relations, external review and compliance, litigation and disclosure, employee communication and engagement, and academic outreach and stakeholder engagement.
Dr. Giles is a seasoned executive, joining CSIS in October 2022, from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). There she was the Assistant Deputy Minister, Operations Sector leading the coordination of major initiatives, such as the government’s immigration response to the invasion of Ukraine and Taliban take-over of Afghanistan. Prior to this, Dr. Giles was the Director General, International Finance and Development at the Department of Finance, since 2017. During this time, she served as Canada’s Deputy to the World Bank’s International Development Association and as Canada’s Sherpa for the Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action.
Previously, Dr. Giles was the Director General for International Assistance Management, and Evaluation and Results, at Global Affairs Canada.
She served as Canada’s High Commissioner to Guyana, Ambassador to Suriname and as Representative Plenipotentiary to CARICOM 2013‒2015. Dr. Giles has worked as Director for Nuclear Security, Submarines and Policy, and served as Director for the Counter-Terrorism and Anti-Crime Capacity Building Programs Division at Global Affairs Canada.
Born and raised in Kamloops, B.C., Dr. Giles holds a Doctorate in International Relations from the University of Oxford, and has published on subjects such as missile defence and nuclear strategy. She is married with a son and daughter.
Nicole Giles is the Senior Assistant Deputy Minister and Deputy Director of Policy and Partnerships at the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS). Her portfolio includes strategic policy, public and foreign relations, external review and compliance, litigation and disclosure, employee communication and engagement, and academic outreach and stakeholder engagement.
Dr. Giles is a seasoned executive, joining CSIS in October 2022, from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). There she was the Assistant Deputy Minister, Operations Sector leading the coordination of major initiatives, such as the government’s immigration response to the invasion of Ukraine and Taliban take-over of Afghanistan. Prior to this, Dr. Giles was the Director General, International Finance and Development at the Department of Finance, since 2017. During this time, she served as Canada’s Deputy to the World Bank’s International Development Association and as Canada’s Sherpa for the Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action.
Previously, Dr. Giles was the Director General for International Assistance Management, and Evaluation and Results, at Global Affairs Canada.
She served as Canada’s High Commissioner to Guyana, Ambassador to Suriname and as Representative Plenipotentiary to CARICOM 2013‒2015. Dr. Giles has worked as Director for Nuclear Security, Submarines and Policy, and served as Director for the Counter-Terrorism and Anti-Crime Capacity Building Programs Division at Global Affairs Canada.
Born and raised in Kamloops, B.C., Dr. Giles holds a Doctorate in International Relations from the University of Oxford, and has published on subjects such as missile defence and nuclear strategy. She is married with a son and daughter.
