Zaib Shaikh appointed consul general in Los Angeles

Chrystia Freeland, Canada’s foreign affairs minister, has appointed Zaib Shaikh (Theatre and Drama Studies ’97) consul general of Canada in Los Angeles.

In his new role, Shaikh will work to promote Canada’s interests in the U.S., as well as bolster Canada’s presence and profile. He will be part of a network of consuls generals with offices in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Miami, Minneapolis, New York City, San Francisco and Seattle (together with trade offices in Houston, Palo Alto and San Diego).

Shaikh has had a long career in the Canadian and international media and entertainment industries, working as an actor and producer in theatre, film and television. His work includes acting roles in Deepa Mehta’s film Midnight’s Children, as well as in Little Mosque on the Prairie.

In 2014, Shaikh became film commissioner and director of entertainment industries for Toronto, where he oversaw the screen, music, live festivals and sports events support and tourism teams. He currently sits on the AFC and has served on juries and committees for the Gemini Awards, ACTRA Awards, Ontario Arts Council and Theatre Ontario Youth Program. He has also served as a board member for the Institute for Canadian Citizenship and the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion.

Shaikh has also continued to be involved in the Sheridan community. He was a keynote speaker at the June 2016 convocation ceremony. “In 2016 and beyond, more than ever, you'll find yourself better equipped to meet the world head on if you are able to accommodate, accept and embrace the diversity around you,” he told students.