Ifor Ffowcs-Williams

New Zealand

Ifor (E4) was a Founder of TCI, he has served as Chairman of TCI and is now a member of the Board of Advisors. He is CEO of Cluster Navigators Ltd, New Zealand. Since establishing Cluster Navigators in 1997, Ifor has been active across Europe, North America, Africa, the Caribbean and Australasia in introducing the relevance of clustering as a cornerstone for economic development. The focus has been on the training of economic development professionals in the process of cluster development, reviewing cluster development programmes, and facilitating initial cluster workshops. Clients have included: International development agencies: The World Bank; OECD; Commonwealth Secretariat. National agencies: Scottish Enterprise; VINNOVA and NUTEK, Sweden; Mauritius' National Productivity and Competitiveness Council; Industry New Zealand; Industry Canada; Trinidad & Tobago's Tourism and Industrial Development Company; South Africa's Tourism Department. Regional / Local Agencies: SE England Development Agency; Northern Ireland's Centre for Competitiveness; Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency; Queensland's Department of State Development; Louisiana's Department of Economic Development; Oregon's Department of Agriculture; Cape Province (South Africa); Brisbane City (Queensland); local economic development agencies throughout New Zealand and Australia Industry Associations: South African Sugar Association; New Zealand Biotech Association. Prior to the establishment of Cluster Navigators, Ifor was with the New Zealand Trade Development Board and over a decade encouraged New Zealand's exporters to move beyond their comfort zones in 'co-operating to compete' through participation in soft and hard networks, and clusters.