• Timothy Allan

Timothy Allan

Founder

Timothy has more than 20 years’ experience as an innovation and R&D leader, with a wide range of experience in the development of new businesses that are driven by disruptive products. He is the founder of Locus Research and has proven his ability to head technology-oriented product development projects and diversified design teams.

He has consulted on product commercialisation and applied business development for companies as diverse as Pacific Edge, Fisher & Paykel Healthcare, Pan Pac Forest Products, Scion Research, Altitude Aerospace, Boeing, Livestock Improvement Corporation, Carter Holt Harvey, and Alto Plastics; his projects ranging from the primary sector to high value manufacturing to information technology.

Timothy has consulted to the New Zealand Government authoring reports on Innovation, Life Cycle Thinking, Sustainability and Design over a 15-year period. In 2009, Timothy delivered a series of lectures on the application of Life Cycle Thinking to product development to the automotive, electronics and mobile industry in Shanghai and Beijing. He was made a Fellow of the Designers Institute in 2010 for his services to sustainable design in New Zealand. In 2014, Tim presented at Diseno Punto MX, organised by Tec de Monterrey, Mexico, on the product development landscape in New Zealand.

Amongst his diverse portfolio, Timothy has played a strong role in the development of innovation nationally and within the Bay of Plenty. Through the establishment of the Young Innovator Awards, the development of ‘Fieldays Innovation’ at the National Fieldays, as well as co-founding the WNT Technology incubator, a true passion for supporting innovation shows.

Timothy has taken on the role of CEO for start-up company Ubco Bikes, spending most of his time at the Ubco workshop or travelling the world setting up distribution and managing manufacturers. Ubco has rapidly developed into a digitally connected, UEV platform, including on and off-road transport (the Ubco 2×2), portable power, accessories, and subscription software. They provide a complete solution, from an individual user to a fleet manager across a wide range of applications.

EXPERTISE

Product Development
Sustainability & Life Cycle Thinking
Capability Development
Production & Supply Chain Management
Board Level Management

FUN FACTS

Is very particular about the pens he uses — no compromises

Strives to match the Locus brand colours whenever possible (orange highlight on his shoes, blue on his jacket…)

Has a knack for spontaneously generating quotable one-liners

CULTURE

Originally studied Fine Arts

Is a sustainability guru — he even wrote a sustainable design resource for the Designers Institute of New Zealand, on how to carry out product development responsibly

Has presented to esteemed audiences in China and Mexico and attended events across the world