Today, NATIONAL is pleased to announce Saeed Selvam’s appointment to Vice-President and Practice Lead, Public Affairs, of the Toronto office.
Saeed is an award-winning public affairs executive with more than 20 years of experience developing government relations campaigns, comprehensive communications and engagement strategies and policies for some of the largest, globally recognized brands and organizations including Google, Applyboard, CIFAR, the Obama-Biden White House, the Government of Canada, and the Government of Ontario. Saeed specializes in developing strategies and improving brand impact by distilling complex issues into easily understandable material for a range of audiences, from executives to consumers. Over the course of his career, Saeed has fostered cross-functional, collaborative partnerships with key decision makers, senior executives, media and thinktanks to drive revenue, build consensus, align policy objectives with business interests, raise brand awareness, and mitigate risk for major brands. Prior to this role at NATIONAL Public Relations, Saeed served as a Global Policy Lead and Associate Principal at Google and then as the Managing Director (Ontario and Federal) of New West Public Affairs. Saeed has also served as an informal advisor to a Premier of Ontario and two Toronto mayors.
“With his deep-rooted knowledge of the Canadian public affairs landscape, at all levels of government, Saeed’s expertise, and ability to lead complex public affairs and public engagement mandates makes him the perfect addition to our growing team,” said Brian Pearl, Managing Partner of NATIONAL’s Toronto office. “Saeed will deliver the insights and strategic counsel our Public Affairs clients count on, while helping NATIONAL Toronto—and the Firm at large—continue to grow and bolster its competitive public affairs offering in market”.
Saeed is a regular media contributor to the Toronto Star, CBC, CTV, and served as a regular political panelist on Global News for the 2023 Toronto Mayoral election. His accomplishments have been recognized in a multitude of ways, including receiving a Lincoln Alexander Award, by the Government of Ontario (in 2007), and the ReadThePeak’s Emerging Leader Award in 2023, amongst several other accolades. Saeed holds a Master of Public Policy and Governance from University of Toronto’s Munk School of Global Public Affairs, and an Honors Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Equity Studies, also from the University of Toronto.