David Ford (50) is a leading party strategist. He joined Alliance at its foundation in 1970. He is an Assembly member for South Antrim and was the party's chief whip from 1998 until his resignation in August. He is a former chairman of the Northern Ireland branch of the Liberal Democrats. He is Alliance's spokesman on agriculture and rural development and on the environment. He stood as the party's candidate in South Antrim in this year's Westminster election. He is married with four children.
Mr Ford says he has attempted to establish Alliance as the party of constructive opposition in the Assembly. He has campaigned to improve the North's rail network and on behalf of farmers during the foot-and-mouth outbreak.