Clive Furness (OC 1971 – 1978) is the founder and managing director of Contango Markets Limited, a firm specializing in developing and implementing market infrastructure in the wholesale commodities and derivatives markets.

After a somewhat lacklustre school career, Clive headed to the City and was a commodities trader for 16 years, both on the trading floors and latterly at Goldman Sachs. On leaving Goldman he became Business Development Director of the London Commodity Exchange and subsequently of the LIFFE Market (at the time the biggest futures market in the world). Clive founded Contango in 1999 and is a regular speaker on stages around the world on issues relating to commodities and derivatives.

Whilst the social element of the OCA is vital, modern life often demands more than just the ability to network and meet old friends from those activities we engage in outside of working hours. Through seeing the disastrous effects of inadequate preparation for change on numerous occasions, Clive is passionate about the need to prepare for the significant amount of change that we can expect in the workplace over the next 40 years. He believes that the OCA should provide such a framework for all its members by identifying and providing access to those organisations and people who are driving the process of preparing for change and creating a network that is populated by individuals who are prepared to lead and make the most of the digital revolution.

In any spare time that he has, Clive is an accomplished guitarist and a less accomplished (but keen) surfer.