Back to the About Page

Robert Baines

  • Position:

    President and Chief Executive Officer

  • Organization:

    NATO Association of Canada

About:

International Engagement Partner

Robert Baines is President and Chief Executive Officer of the NATO Association of Canada (NAOC), a national organization focused on advancing public understanding of NATO, allied security, and the international rules-based order. In this role, he leads NAOC’s national programming, financial oversight, and stakeholder engagement with government, industry, academia, and allied partners.

Robert has represented the NATO Association at major international engagements, including NATO Summits in Warsaw (2016), Brussels (2018), and London (2019), and is a regular commentator on NATO and defence issues in Canadian media. He currently serves as a director of the Canada–Türkiye Business Council and has previously held leadership roles with international and cultural organizations.

Within the RDII project, Robert supports international engagement activities by facilitating access to allied networks and market opportunities. Through NAOC, he contributes to connecting participating SMEs with international stakeholders, supporting global market access aligned with NOVA-led commercialization pathways.