Rob Fonberg

Rob Fonberg was Deputy Minister in the Government of Canada. First appointed Deputy in the Privy Council Office in 2000, he went on to serve as Deputy at International Trade, Treasury Board Secretariat and, from 2007-2013, at the Department of National Defence.

As Deputy Minister of National Defence during the most intense operational period for the Canadian Armed Forces since the Korean War, Fonberg was involved in all aspects of the deployments of the Canadian Forces, defence policy including the Canada First Defence Strategy, international defence relations, and multi-billion dollar acquisitions. He partnered closely with three Chiefs of the Defence Staff during this time and was a core member of the Government of Canada’s national security team.

Today, Fonberg is an associate with a global public relations firm where he advises clients in government-adjacent markets including defence and security, transportation and infrastructure. Fonberg also sits on a number of Boards including the ALTO high speed rail Board where he is Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee; the Board of ITPS, the International Test Pilot School; and on the Board of a start up in the telecommunications space - Spiral Communications Inc. From 2018 to 2022 he was Chair of the Board of Digital Public Square.

Updated July 2025