Originally from London, with parental roots in Ceredigion, I am is married, with 2 sons and live on the west coast of Wales, in Aberaeron.

I am a fluent Welsh speaker and regularly comment for TV and radio on military, defence, space and security matters. I hold a number of independent or non-executive positions, mainly supporting work in the public sector.

My early career was in the Army, retiring as a Major after 18 years of service, where he was responsible for strategic military planning for global intervention operations and humanitarian rescues. Thereafter I pursued a wonderfully varied career acros a range of insdustries and sectors, with one consistent theme: they were all in Wales.

Non-Executive Experience

Chair Ceredigion County Council Governance and Audit Committee 2021++

  • Reviewing, scrutinising and reporting on Council’s risk management, internal controls and corporate governance arrangements
  • Scrutinising and reviewing reports and recommendations on council financial affairs, ensuring value for money
  • Overseeing  the authority’s audit arrangements and reviewing financial statements
  • Overseeing scrutiny activity and programme delivery
  • Monitoring complaints and information requests

Independent Member Welsh Language Commissioner Audit and Risk Committee 2020++

  • Advising the Commissioner on strategic processes for risk, finance, management and governance and the Governance Statement
  • Overseeing accounting policies, value for money, accounts, and the corporation’s annual report
  • Planning and monitoring internal and external auditors’ activity

Independent Member Ceredigion County Council Ethics and Standards Committee 2021++

  • Promoting and maintaining high standards of conduct by Councillors, Co-opted Members and other representatives 
  • Advising the Council on the adoption or revision of the Members’ Code of Conduct
  • Monitoring the operation of the Members’ Code of Conduct
  • Reporting annually on Ethics and Standards

Member of Wales’ Criminal Justice Race Independent Oversight & Advisory Panel 2023-24

  • Working with the Criminal Justice Board for Wales to help address the systemic discrimination and disadvantages experienced by Black & Minority Ethnic people in the Criminal Justice System. 

Trustee Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution 2021-22

  • Contributing actively to set RABI’s strategic direction, defining goals and evaluating the charity’s performance.
  • Ensuring RABI complies with its Royal Charter, charity law and any other relevant legislation and regulations
  • Safeguarding the reputation and values of the charity

Non-Executive Director Diploma – Financial Times 2019 awarded

  • Diploma awarded after 18 months of study

Non-Executive Director Ddiwydiannol Limited 2020-23

  • Overseeing group governance, strategy and relationship management
  • Developing relations with potential investors

Executive Experience

Leadership

  • Led the Farmers’ Union of Wales through the challenging Brexit referendum and fall-out, influencing the development of farmer-friendly government policies
  •  reframing corporate structures and governance whilst maintaining strong working relationships with the UK & Welsh governments. Increased membership, revenue and profits
  • Chaired a team to plan and deliver the first public/private joint venture for research in Wales
  • Developed and led a plan to capture a £4.5 billion bid for MoD’s Defence Information Infrastructure.

General Management

  • Established the first B2B division of a new telecoms company leading recruitment and training and focus of all 120 operational staff
  • Established SME-focused telecoms business and drove its performance for the first three years, with 17,000 customers after year 3 and £6.5 million gross annual revenue

Relationship Management

  • Led award-winning external relations on behalf of farming and rural stakeholders, influencing government policies to the benefit of the membership community
  • Developed and delivered country strategy in Wales for Cassidian UK Limited, establishing £20 million grant funding streams
  • Directed relationships with customers in the UK, USA, Middle East and Australasia, rescuing failing contract relations,  all subsequently converted into extended or new contracts. 
  • Directed delivery of the UK’s first-ever test of mobile broadband services in the UK for Ofcom
  • Successfully led the planning and delivery of a proposal to a European multinational defence contractor to site new research facilities in Wales, creating over 100 new jobs. 

Innovation and Transformation

  • Established Space Strategy for Wales, uniting the public, private and academic sectors
  • Provided programme advice to the Public Sector in Wales on strategic interventions establishing the original vision for a “City Region”
  • Developed strategy for a multi-million-pound award-winning innovation programme devising novel solutions for public service planning and delivery
  • Led rebrand and market repositioning programme of a barristers chambers, increasing revenues by 30% in year one and Barrister tenancy occupancy by 20% 

PR and Media Management

An experienced public speaker and regular contributor to Welsh and English language media in Wales for the last 20 years, commenting on current affairs, space, military matters and the rural economy.