Oleg Shakov is the Director of the International Programs Division at the Office of the Commissioner for Federal Judicial Affairs Canada. This federal government department is dedicated to safeguarding the independence of the judiciary while providing vital administrative services to federally appointed judges, independent of the Department of Justice.

With a Master’s Degree in International Relations from Carleton University in Ottawa, Oleg brings over 30 years of extensive experience in the field of international relations. His career has spanned both the private and public sectors, where he has served as an advisor on economic, political, and legislative reforms in former Soviet Union countries. His expertise includes conducting in-depth research on business practices within the Commonwealth of Independent States and spearheading the development of innovative project ideas while securing essential funding for their implementation.

Since 1999, Oleg has successfully managed multi-year judicial reform projects across the globe, impacting nations such as Ukraine, China, Peru, Jamaica, Ghana, Mongolia, Colombia, and beyond. Each project, diverse in scope and timeframe, was designed to advance and strengthen judicial institutions and uphold the rule of law in emerging democracies, while respecting the cultural peculiarities and unique needs of each country.