Mark Gwozdecky was appointed Assistant Deputy Minister, International Security and Political Affairs (Political Director) in November 2015. He held the position of Director General, Middle East & Maghreb Bureau from 2013 to 2015, and was acting Assistant Deputy Minister for Europe, Middle East & Maghreb from August to October 2015. From 2010-2013, he served as Ambassador to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and Iraq.

He joined the Canadian Foreign Service in 1982. He has served in Seoul, Manila, Damascus, and Vienna where he was Chief Spokesperson and Director of Public Information at the International Atomic Energy Agency. He has also held numerous positions, including Coordinator of the Landmine Action Team, Director of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Division, and Director General for International Crime and Terrorism. He was named one of the Top 100 Most Powerful and Influential People in Government and Politics in 2018.

He graduated from the University of Western Ontario with a B.A. in English literature.