{{Short description|Director of communications to the prime minister of canada}} {{COI|date=May 2016}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Dimitri Soudas | honorific_suffix = | image = Soudas CNP.JPG | office = Director of Communications to the <br />Prime Minister of Canada | prime_minister = Stephen Harper | predecessor = John Williamson | successor = Angelo Persichilli | term = 2010–2011 | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1979|07|10}} | birth_place = Montreal, Quebec, Canada | children = | parents = | alma_mater = | spouse = }}
'''Dimitri Soudas''' (born July 10, 1979) is the former Director of Communications to the Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, former executive director of the Canadian Olympic Committee and former executive director of the Conservative Party of Canada.
Soudas is the former executive director (Communications) and Press Chief of the Canadian Olympic Committee.
==Career==
Between 2006 and 2011, Soudas was a "high profile" member of Prime Minister Stephen Harper's communication team,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2013/12/07/dimitri_soudas_member_of_stephen_harpers_inner_circle_to_head_conservative_party.html|title=Dimitri Soudas, member of Stephen Harper's inner circle, to head Conservative Party|date=7 December 2013|work=thestar.com}}</ref> and one of the Prime Minister's "closest and most faithful aides".<ref name="Harper-names-Soudas">{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/harper-names-soudas-as-his-main-spokesman-1.930620|title=Harper names Soudas as his main spokesman|date=11 April 2010|publisher=}}</ref> Initially serving as a Press Secretary and later as an associate director of Communications for the prime minister's office,<ref name="Soudas-moving-on">{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/harper-s-spokesman-soudas-moving-on-1.1009578|title=Harper's spokesman Soudas moving on|date=1 June 2011|publisher=}}</ref> Soudas was appointed as Director of Communications for the prime minister's office following the resignation of his predecessor, John Williamson, in the spring of 2010.<ref name="Harper-names-Soudas" /><ref>{{Cite news|title = Dimitri Soudas – Bio, News, Photos – Washington Times|url = http://www.washingtontimes.com/topics/dimitri-soudas/|newspaper = The Washington Times|access-date = 2016-02-21}}</ref> On June 1, 2011, Soudas revealed he would be stepping down as Harper's chief spokesman.<ref>[https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1000757--harper-aide-soudas-calls-it-quits?bn=1 "Harper aide Soudas calls it quits"]. ''Toronto Star'', June 1, 2011.</ref> He was succeeded by Angelo Persichilli.<ref name=taber>[https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawa-notebook/harper-finds-new-communication-director-in-ranks-of-ethnic-media/article2148647/ "Harper finds new communication director in ranks of ethnic media"]. ''The Globe and Mail'', August 31, 2011.</ref>
Beginning in October 2011, Soudas served as executive director of Communications for the Canadian Olympic Committee.<ref name="cbc.ca">{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/dimitri-soudas-out-as-conservative-party-executive-director-1.2592198|title=Dimitri Soudas fired as Conservative Party executive director|date=1 April 2014|publisher=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|author=<!-- not stated --> |title = Former Harper spokesman Soudas joins Canadian Olympic Committee|url = https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/harpers-former-communications-director-soudas-joins-canadian-olympic-committee|website =National Post | date=28 September 2011 |access-date = 2021-08-15 |agency=Postmedia News }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title = PM's former communications director Soudas joins Canadian Olympic Committee|url = http://www.marketingmag.ca/brands/coc-names-dimitri-soudas-executive-director-of-communications-36860|website = www.marketingmag.ca|access-date = 2016-02-21}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title = Former PMO staffer Soudas joins Canadian Olympic Committee|url = https://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/more-sports/former-pmo-staffer-soudas-joins-canadian-olympic-committee/article600904/|website = The Globe and Mail|access-date = 2016-02-21}}</ref>
In December 2013, Soudas resigned from the Canadian Olympic Committee, and was appointed executive director of the Conservative Party of Canada.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/article/conservative-party-names-former-pmo-spokesperson-as-new-executive-director/|title=Conservative Party names former PMO spokesperson Dimitri Soudas as new executive director – CTV News|work=CTVNews|date=7 December 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.macleans.ca/politics/ottawa/dimitri-soudas-and-stephen-harpers-future/|title=Dimitri Soudas and the PM's future – Macleans.ca|date=7 December 2013|work=Macleans.ca}}</ref> In March 2014, Harper demanded Soudas's resignation after allegations emerged that Soudas had used party resources to help his fiancée, Eve Adams, in her bid for the Conservative nomination in Oakville North—Burlington.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2014/03/31/pm_demanded_resignation_of_dimitri_soudas_sources_say.html | title=PM demanded resignation of Dimitri Soudas, sources say | website=Toronto Star | date=31 March 2014 }}</ref> On February 9, 2015, Eve Adams crossed the floor to join the Liberal Party caucus.<ref>{{cite web |title=Eve Adams, former Conservative MP, joins Liberal Party |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/eve-adams-former-conservative-mp-joins-liberal-party-1.2950048 |website=CBC News |date=2015-02-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405062600/https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/eve-adams-former-conservative-mp-joins-liberal-party-1.2950048 |archive-date=2023-04-05 |url-status=live |last1=O'Malley |first1=Kady}}</ref>
Soudas is the former Managing Partner of Stampede Group,<ref name="stampedegroup.ca">{{cite web|url=http://www.stampedegroup.ca/dimitri.html|title=DIMITRI|publisher=}}</ref> which specializes in food trade into Asian markets and business development. He also served as Executive Vice President of Business Affairs and Corporate Sponsorship for the World Equestrian Games.<ref>http://www.fei.org/fei/fei-weg/2018 World Equestrian Games 2018</ref>
Soudas serves as chairman of the Board of Merry Montreal, a not-for-profit organization that organizes a holiday event in Montreal.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Merry Montreal 2015|url = http://www.montrealenfetes.com/home/|website = Montréal en Fêtes / Merry Montreal 2015|access-date = 2016-02-21|archive-date = 2016-02-18|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160218205140/http://www.montrealenfetes.com/home|url-status = dead}}</ref>
==Awards== * Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal (2012)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/09/16/diamond-jubilee-medal-recipients-bouchard_n_3934929.html|title=Diamond Jubilee Medal Recipients Include Lucien Bouchard, Ben Johnson, Controversial Senators|date=16 September 2013|work=The Huffington Post}}</ref> * "Lifetime Honorary Board Member" of the National Ethnic Press and Media Council of Canada (2010)<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/offering-the-ethnic-media-an-outlet-to-reach-political-leaders/article576819/|title=Offering the ethnic media an outlet 'to reach political leaders'|work=The Globe and Mail}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist|30em}} {{Commons category|Dimitri Soudas}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Soudas, Dimitri}} Category:1979 births Category:Living people Category:Canadian political consultants Category:People from Montreal Category:Communications directors of the Canadian Prime Minister's Office Category:Canadian press secretaries