The General Assembly of members is the supreme body of TCI Network and meets online once a year (around November). The members decide, by majority of votes, the issues that are the responsibility of the Assembly.
The Board of Directors governs, administers and represents the association and is formed by cluster and competitiveness experts from around the world. The Board of Directors is elected by the members of the TCI Network at the General Assembly meeting.
2018-2020
Cluster Excellence Denmark
Denmark
Merete Daniel Nielsen serves as President for TCI Network since 2019. For 15 years she was co-founder and CEO for Cluster Excellence Denmark supporting the Danish clusters on competence development, professionalisation and internationalisation. She has a broad experience as expert and leader in cluster and innovation projects. For 4 years she was appointed to the EU Expert Group advising the EU Commission on cluster development and policy.
2019-2022
Iceland Tourism Cluster
Iceland
Ásta Kristín Sigurjónsdóttir is CEO of the Iceland Tourism Cluster that is a business and project-driven organization with members from all over the value chain of Tourism and travel. Asta has worked with companies of all sizes for the last 18 years focusing on business development and innovation. Ásta Kristin has a BSc in International Business and Marketing and in Project Management, various training in strategy, sustainability, innovation, business development, marketing, and leadership.
2018-2021
Lund University And Iec
Sweden
Emily Wise is an affiliated research fellow at CIRCLE and project leader at LU's collaboration office - developing knowledge for and with external stakeholders, and providing analysis and advisory support related to innovation and economic development policy (on local, regional, national and international levels). With more than 25 years’ experience, she has worked with regional and national innovation agencies in the Nordic countries and has participated as an expert with other agencies around Europe, for the European Commission, ADB and World Bank.
Any
Patricia is CEO at TCI Network since 2008. She is in charge of the implementation of the strategic goals and the development of new services, projects and conferences designed through a close collaboration with the Board. She facilitates the regional chapters and working groups in coordination with the leaders of the initiatives. She is responsible for the team and headquarters in Barcelona, and presents the TCI Network in the media and in public events.
Córdoba Acelera
Argentina
Guillermo Acosta graduated in Economics from the National University of Córdoba, completed the Programme for Management Development at ESADE and participated in Harvard Business School's Microeconomics of Competitiveness (MOC) Faculty Workshops. He has taught at the Faculty of Economics (UNC) and was involved in various roles, including being an active member of the Inter-American Competitiveness Network (RIAC). He also served as Minister of Industry, Commerce, and more in the Province of Córdoba. Currently, he holds the position of Secretary of Economy and Finance for the Municipality of Córdoba and is the Director of Córdoba Acelera, an organization dedicated to the city's economic development.
None
South Africa
Septi M. Bukula is the founder and director of Rendzo Network a collaborative network of South African tourism SMEs which focuses on enhancing the domestic and international competitiveness of tourism SMEs. Bukula has been involved in SME policy research and analysis since 1993 and works extensively with various clients in the public, private and development sector. He has served in the leadership of several SME organisations and think tanks in South Africa and internationally.
SPRI - Basque Business Development Agency
Spain
David Fernandez is member of the team that coordinates the Basque cluster programme at SPRI, Basque Business Development Agency (Spain), in charge of managing the programme funding call and of supporting cluster organisations with capacity building, international reach and cross-cluster initiatives. Being on the board of 6 cluster organisations and as ESCA benchmarking expert, he has a deep understanding of cluster dynamics, cluster excellence and stakeholders’ expectations.
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
Barbara Gibbon has more than 25 years of experience in the Canadian public service, with a career that spans policy, program management and corporate roles at several departments, including the Finance and transportation ministries. She is currently Director General at Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, responsible for the Global Innovation Clusters program. The program, with more than $1.8M federal funding, supports five not-for-profit Clusters, which are charged with building ecosystems of competitive advantage for Canada.
The Munster Technological University
Ireland
Dr John Hobbs is Director of the V-LINC Cluster Research Group, at Munster Technological University, which has conducted cluster mapping projects with over 50 industry clusters in 20 countries worldwide. He is a cluster practitioner with direct involvement in the establishment of several clusters in Ireland and member of the National Steering Group on Ireland’s Cluster Policy. A long-time member of TCI, John is widely published in journals such as Regional Studies and Competitiveness Review.
2018-2021
Ministry of Public Administration and Regional Development of Hungary
Hungary
Peter Keller is Head of Programme Strategic Department at the Managing Authority of Economic Development Programmes of the Ministry of Finance, that is responsible for the implementation of the Hungarian cluster strategy. He is member of the European Cluster Policy Forum at the European Commission.
Industrial Technology Research Institute Taiwan
Taiwan
Tony Lin is the researcher of Industry, Science and Technology International Strategy Center (ISTI), the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI), Taiwan. He is now working as a think tank advisor for the Ministry of Economic Affairs of Taiwan government, participating in the national economic policy initiative and evaluation. He is also the founding member of the Asia Chapter of Microeconomics of Competitiveness (MOC) Affiliate Network, a global academic network launched by Harvard Business School.
Confecámaras - Colombian Confederation Of Chambers Of Commerce
Colombia
Yeinni Patiño is the Competitiveness and Cooperation Vice President at Confecámaras where she is in charge of building and leading the intellectual agenda, promoting public policy in favour of the clusters initiatives and chambers of commerce and managing strategic alliances for business and regional development. She has also worked in the Colombian Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism as Director of Productivity and Competitiveness.
Food Innovation Australia
Australia
Mirjana Prica is an experienced business and strategy leader in the food and agribusiness industry. She is currently Managing Director of FIAL, and is responsible for driving innovation and market initiatives for Australia. Mirjana sits on boards and advisory groups for cooperative research centres, universities and industry organisations where she leverages her 20+ years of research and commercial experience in food and agribusiness.
Flemish Administration - Flanders
Belgium
Annie Renders is the Head of the Cluster Policy unit and responsible for strategic relations at Flanders Innovation & Entrepreneurship (VLAIO), which is a part of the Flemish Government. She has been a member of the board of directors at VLAIO. She joined the Flemish Agency for Innovation in 2000, later integrated into Flanders Innovation and Entrepreneurship in 2016. Her career includes involvement in coordinating the regional innovation eco-system, monitoring innovation policy in Flanders, and more recently, developing, implementing, and coordinating Flemish Cluster policy.
Washington State Department of Commerce
United States
Stephanie Scott is Director of the Washington State Department of Commerce’s Innovation Cluster Accelerator Program (ICAP), one of the first US statewide cluster development programs in the United States that will be officially launch later this year. She is an experienced economic development professional with a broad background in business development, workforce development, tech transfer and commercialization, and U.S. federal contracting and grant funding.
CODER
Mexico
Oliver Torres is the Chief Strategy Officer at the Economic Development Council of Chihuahua Region, designing and promoting regional development projects and initiatives to improve competitiveness in Chihuahua City. Some of the initiatives that he has recently designed and promoted are Chihuahua City Invest and Chihuahua Cluster City. Torres is the coordinator of the TCI Latam chapter.
The Board of Advisors is composed by relevant personalities from the world of politics, business, international institutions and public administration who played an important role in the implementation of clusters.
Harvard Business School
ACCIÓ-Catalan Government
Basque Government
Harvard Business School
The World Bank Group
Economic Transformations Group (Etg)
Cluster Navigators Ltd
Enright, Scott & Associates
Harvard University
Stockholm School Of Economics
Breault Research Organization
Detroit Regional Chamber
Novo Nordisk Foundation
National Strategy Office Botswana
FHI360
Infyde Consulting
pvaldenebro@tci-network.org
None
Spain
Patricia is CEO at TCI Network since 2008. She is in charge of the implementation of the strategic goals and the development of new services, projects and conferences designed through a close collaboration with the Board. She facilitates the regional chapters and working groups in coordination with the leaders of the initiatives. She is responsible for the team and headquarters in Barcelona, and presents the TCI Network in the media and in public events.
csoncin@tci-network.org
TCI Network
Spain
Claudia works as Network Coordinator at TCI Network, the global practitioners network for competitiveness, clusters and innovation. From the TCI Secretariat, she supports membership, the annual activities and networking, towards the achievement of TCI's mission, objectives and annual goals.
ngutierrez@tci-network.org
TCI Network
Spain
Natalia is Communication Specialist. She coordinates the communication and marketing strategy of TCI Network. Including content and communication channel management, digital marketing campaigns, reports and other publications, as well as the organization of webinars, international conferences, and other global activities.