Ioannis Chatzantonakis was born in Athens and graduated with distinction in Physics from the Université Libre de Bruxelles. He assumed his duties as Consul General of Greece in Toronto in August 2024. From 2023 to 2024, he headed the Directorate for Greeks Abroad and Programmes and the Directorate for the European Parliament at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Prior to his promotion to the rank of Minister Plenipotentiary, he served as Deputy Director of the Directorate for Asia and Oceania. From 2017 to 2022, he was Consul General of Greece in Johannesburg. At the rank of First Counsellor of Embassy, his assignments included the Directorate for Justice, Home Affairs, Migration and Schengen;Acting Director of the Directorate for Information Technology and Communications;the Directorate-General for Personnel and Administration;and the Directorate for Asia and Oceania. He was Consul General of Greece in Cairo from 2010 to 2014. From 2007 to 2010, as Second Counsellor of Embassy, he served as Deputy Director of the Diplomatic Office of the Prime Minister. His earlier postings included the Embassies of Greece in Paris (2003–2007) and Tehran (2000–2003). He joined the Greek Diplomatic Service in 1998 as an Attaché at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Athens. He is co-author of Guide to the Examination for Admission to the Greek Diplomatic Service, Sakkoulas Publications, Athens, 1999. His distinctions include the rank of Grand Commander of the Order of the Phoenix of the Hellenic Republic and the Gold Lion of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa.