THE South West Regional Development Agency (SWRDA) has appointed a head of operations for Wiltshire.
Philip Watkins, who as a former army officer trained at the Royal School of Artillery at Larkhill, will ensure effective communication between the agency and its partners and businesses.
Mr Watkins had been working for the Organisation of Security and Co-operation in Europe, specialising in projects in emerging democracies, conflict and post-conflict environments.
He was deputy director of election operations in Kosovo. He was also a founding partner of a European Commission-registered business consultancy that organised a department of trade and industry trade mission to that region in 1996.
Mr Watkins has an MSc from the London School of Economics and was awarded an MBE for humanitarian services during the Bosnian war.
He said: "I have arrived at SWRDA at an interesting time. The reorganisation within the agency means that an RDA team can focus exclusively on Wiltshire issues.
"Working with partners, my team will seek to address the most important urban and rural development challenges, while continuing to identify and promote innovative economic opportunities."
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