With more than 30 years of experience in civil society, conflict resolution, political transition, and organisational development, Ivor is well known as a leader in the fields of peacebuilding and democratisation.
Ivor has played an active role in South African and African politics, using his political facilitation skills to assist in the transformation of a myriad of sectors. He is recognised as a pragmatic problem solver with a high commitment to participative decision-making, but at the same time with a decisive edge to his actions. His expertise includes political leadership, intergroup relations, conflict management, governance systems transformation, NGO capacity building, project management, and fundraising.
Ivor’s extensive international experience includes consultations across the African continent, Europe, Asia, and the Americas. He continues to play a critical role in guiding transitional societies – such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, Bolivia, Northern Ireland, Nigeria, the Basque country, and Zimbabwe – towards peace.
Furthermore, he has long been committed to the development of young political leadership, and is able to leverage political transitional moments to harness the energy and skills of young people in societies undergoing transition.
Over many years, he has hosted international delegations interested in understanding the South African transition. Government leaders, officials, and students from countries as diverse as Bolivia, Nepal, Colombia, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Bahrain, and Kenya have toured South Africa with Ivor.
Ivor joined Idasa (The Institute for a Democratic Alternative for South Africa) in 1990, and served as managing director of Idasa’s national office from 1996-2013. Ivor spearheaded Idasa’s expansion into more than 35 countries on the African continent, promoting democratic values as well as good governance practices.
In 2013, Ivor joined Roelf Meyer and Mohammed Bhabha to establish the In Transformation Initiative with the purpose of promoting the South African peacemaking process in countries of transition and conflict.
Ivor received an honorary doctorate degree from North Park University (Chicago, USA) for his service to the liberation process of South Africa and its people. He lives in Pretoria with his wife, Karin. They have two children, Jana and Jason.
