Ambassador Balloch joined the Canadian Department of External Affairs in 1976. From 1976 until 1987, he served in a variety of positions at home, and abroad in Jakarta and Prague

From 1987 until 1994, Mr. Balloch served sequentially as Director, North Asia Division; Director General of the Policy Planning Staff; and Assistant Deputy Minister for Asia Pacific.

From 1990 to 1991, Mr. Balloch served on the Advisory Board on Canadian Competitiveness, of the Business Council on National Issues.

From early 1994 until February 1996, Mr. Balloch served as Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet in the Privy Council Office.

In February 1996, the Government of Canada appointed Mr. Balloch as Ambassador to the People's Republic of China. Mr. Balloch was also accredited as Ambassador to Mongolia and Ambassador to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. He retired from Government at the end of July, 2001.

From July 2001 to August 2006, Mr. Balloch served as President and CEO of the Canada China Business Council.

While in government, Mr. Balloch also served on a number of university advisory boards in Canada, and was for nine years a member of the Board of Directors of the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada.

Ambassador Balloch’s current positions: Chairman of Canaccord Genuity Asia, following the acquisition by Canaccord Financial Inc. of The Balloch Group, the investment advisory firm he founded in 2001. Mr. Balloch serves as a director of Canaccord Financial Inc., Methanex Corporation and Ivanhoe Mines.

Asia, Canada,