Judith Macgregor

British High Commissioner to South Africa

Part of UK in Mexico

30th November 2011

Tech City, an opportunity for Mexican entrepreneurs

Guest blog by Matthew Whiteley*

‘Innovation’ is the buzz word that rattling around business receptions, articles and blogs throughout the UK and the US, as it is innovation – ideas that are turned into goods or services for which people are willing to pay – that will keep the UK and the US economically competitive. But let us look at ’open innovation’, where ideas are shared, and collaboration of ideas is the secret behind successful innovation. Innovation becomes about community and interaction. Tech City and Silicon Valley have only been successful because of these elements of innovation. They are ‘idea’ and ‘technology’ clusters, successful because they are known by the world, connected to the world.

Tech City, vibrant, fast-growing and connected / Photo Courtesy of: Tech City website
Tech City, vibrant, fast-growing and connected / Photo Courtesy of: Tech City website.

We’ve been making further connections with Tech City in Tijuana and Guadalajara, Mexico, themselves growing technology clusters, were successful businesses and start-ups are nurturing talent and ideas. Needless to say, when talking about Tech City growth, or the thirst for talent and investment in Tech City, the entrepreneurs of Tijuana and Guadalajara get it. They too are thirsty to be connected to talent and those willing to invest, and to themselves invest. In fact, they are very interested to be more deeply connected with the UK.

So now, next stages are to work with the technology clusters in Tijuana and Guadalajara to manage a web of relationship building between the idea people in Tech City and their respective cities. With these relationships we will see trade and inward investment, but perhaps more importantly, we will see exciting innovation.

* Vice Consul and Trade & Investment Officer: Tech City and ICT

About Judith Macgregor

Judith Macgregor has been appointed British High Commissioner to South Africa. She arrived at the post on 2 October, 2013. She was British Ambassador to Mexico from October 2009 to…

Judith Macgregor has been appointed British High Commissioner to South Africa. She arrived at the post on 2 October, 2013.
She was British Ambassador to Mexico from October 2009 to June 2013.
She joined the Foreign & Commonwealth Office in 1976, after
graduating from Oxford University with a first class Honours Degree in
Modern History. She has served as First Secretary in Paris and Prague;
Deputy Director of Department for Western Europe and Head of the FCO’s
Security Department. She was also Migration Director from 2007 to 2009.
Mexico is not the first time she has served as an Ambassador. She was
British Ambassador in Bratislava from 2004 to 2007. Between 1995 and
2000, she accompanied her husband during his diplomatic posts in
Dusseldorf and Warsaw.
Judith Macgregor is President of the  Foreign & Commonwealth
Office Women’s Association. She is married to John Malcolm Macgregor,
CVO and has four children.