Corporate Office

80 Richmond Street West, Suite 605
Toronto, ON M5H 2A4
416-954-3800
coordinator@ccbc.com

Bijan Ahmadi
Executive Director & COO

Bijan Ahmadi serves as the Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer of the Canada China Business Council (CCBC), overseeing the operations and activities of the Council across its seven chapters in Canada and China.

Before joining CCBC, he co-founded and served as the Executive Director of the Institute for Peace & Diplomacy (IPD) from 2018 to 2024. IPD is a non-partisan think tank operating in Canada and the United States, dedicated to fostering constructive engagement and interest-based thinking in international affairs.

During his tenure at IPD, Mr. Ahmadi launched the organization’s Asia research program in 2020 and its flagship annual conference, the Indo-Pacific Strategy Forum (IPSF), in Ottawa in 2021. Today, IPSF is recognized as Canada’s premier conference on the country’s engagement in the Indo-Pacific region. He was also the co-editor of Canada-China Brief, a biweekly policy newsletter providing the latest developments and expert insights on political and economic relations between Ottawa and Beijing.

In his work on China, Mr. Ahmadi has advised large corporations and SMEs on navigating Canada-China trade, policy, and regulatory developments. He has also spearheaded the publication of numerous research reports on China and Canada-China relations and led Track 2 diplomacy initiatives in collaboration with Chinese and American research institutions.

Mr. Ahmadi holds a Master’s degree in Global Diplomacy from SOAS University of London and a Master of Applied Science from the University of Toronto. Before founding IPD, Mr. Ahmadi worked in strategy and management roles in the financial services and real estate sectors, where he honed his skills in organizational leadership and operational planning. He also served on the executive boards of several Canadian non-profits and NGOs, including the Toronto branch of the Canadian International Council.

Contact information:

416-954-3800 ext 311

Angel Huen
Director of Operations and Human Resources

As Director of Operations and Human Resources, Angel Huen is responsible for overall office operations and administration. Ms. Huen focuses on technical and operational processes and oversees legal and compliance matters.

Prior to joining CCBC, Ms. Huen gained broad business, administration and staff development experience through various positions in the luxury brand management, hospitality and media industries in Asia. Ms. Huen holds a Bachelor of Science from Simon Fraser University. She is fluent in English and Mandarin.

Contact information:

416-954-3800 ext 318

Alyssa Dalton
Director of Communications

Alyssa Dalton manages communications initiatives and activities at CCBC and is responsible for its websites, social media, print publications, design, media relations and monthly newsletters. Prior to joining CCBC, she spent nearly 10 years at Annex Business Media, Canada’s largest B2B publisher, where she spearheaded the editorial direction and execution for various media brands covering Canada’s electrical, manufacturing and print industries. Fluent in English and Cantonese, Ms. Dalton holds a Bachelor of Journalism from Carleton University.

Contact information:

416-954-3800 ext 314

Grace Gao
Accountant

Grace Gao, CPA, FCCA, is responsible for all accounting functions at CCBC, including financial reporting, taxes, bookkeeping and working with CCBC’s offices based in China.

Prior to joining CCBC, she previously worked in public practice in Canada and the financial sector in China and has extensive accounting and audit experience. She has a Master of Business Administration in Financial Services from the University of East London. She is fluent in English and Mandarin.

Contact information:

416-954-3800 ext 315

Ariel Saiyinjiya
Administrative and Research Coordinator

Ariel Saiyinjiya handles a range of office administrative duties at CCBC, where she is also responsible for analyzing membership data and overseeing reports. She reviews contracts and policies, and assists with research on various projects. Ms. Saiyinjiya also coordinates communications, including newsletters and digital content.

Ms. Saiyinjiya has experience in content development and media operations from her roles at the United Nations and The Beijing News before. Fluent in Chinese and English, she holds a Master of Arts from Columbia University, where she specialized in Communication, Media, and Learning Technologies Design.

Contact information:
416-954-3800 ext 317