New Trustees appointed to the Board of The National Library of Wales

01.02.2017

The Economy and Infrastructure Secretary, Ken Skates and Rhodri Glyn Thomas, President, The National Library of Wales, have today announced the appointment of three new Trustees to the Library’s Board of Trustees.

The Welsh Government has appointed Mr Steve Williams, and the Library has appointed Mr Gwilym Dyfri Jones and Dr Tomos Dafydd Davies. The term of office of all three will begin on 1 February, and their period of appointment will last for four years.

Economy and Infrastructure Secretary, Ken Skates said:

“I am pleased to confirm the Welsh Government appointment of Mr Steve Williams, as our new Trustee to the National Library’s board and also welcome the National Library’s appointment of two further Trustees, Mr Gwilym Dyfri Jones and Dr Tomos Dafydd Davies.

“I look forward to the new trustees beginning their four year term of office and welcome the strong commitment and enthusiasm that I am sure they will bring to their new roles.”

Rhodri Glyn Thomas, President of the Library added:

“The Board of The National Library of Wales is delighted to welcome the appointment of three new trustees, Mr Steve Williams, Mr Gwilym Dyfri Jones and Dr Tomos Dafydd Davies.  Each of our new trustees brings invaluable experience and expertise to the Board as well as a demonstrable commitment to the values and aspirations of the Library. I know that my fellow-trustees will join me in wishing them well as they embark on their term of office.”

Both Hugh Thomas and Lord Aberdare were also re-appointed for a second term of office from 1 November 2016.

Biographies
Gwilym Dyfri Jones
Gwilym is a native of Aberystwyth, and was brought up within a stone’s throw of the National Library of Wales. Gwilym is Associate Pro Vice-Chancellor at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David’s with responsibility for the Welsh language and bilingualism. Gwilym has twenty five years experience of working within the higher education sector in Wales, and during that time, has worked as Head of the Welsh Department in Trinity College, and later as Dean of the Education and Training Faculty in Trinity Saint David’s. Prior to that, he spent a period of time in Gower Secondary School as Head of the Welsh Department.
 
Tomos Dafydd Davies
Tomos is an Associate Partner at Newgate Communications, a major corporate PR firm in the city of London, which advises some of the biggest brands in the UK on their corporate messaging. Before joining Newgate, Tomos served as a special adviser to two Secretaries of State for Wales. His in-tray in government included steering major constitutional legislation through parliament as well as supporting the UK Government’s response to the steel crisis. Prior to that he was a senior policy official in the Welsh Language Commissioner’s office, where he was seconded to Whitehall to lead a review of the UK Government’s Welsh language services.

Mr Steve Williams
Steve Williams is University Librarian and Head of Libraries, Archives, Culture and Arts at Swansea University.  After leading the development of the Bay Library, on the new £450m Bay Campus, Steve’s particular focus now lies in developing three key areas of service: Swansea University Libraries  - inspiring scholarly excellence through nationally and regionally significant research collections and services; Culture and Arts – building on the success of the Taliesin Arts Centre, especially through celebrating the University’s newest cultural asset, the Great Hall and Sir Stanley Clarke Auditorium; and Digital Humanities – transforming collections through digital preservation, discovery and presentation services across the University’s research and special collections.

With an honours degree in Russian, and master’s in Systems Thinking, Steve is a Fellow of the British Computer Society, an Executive Board member and Trustee of the Society of College, National and University Libraries, a member of the Wales Higher Education Libraries Forum, and sits on various University committees and project groups.  He is a Governor of Ysgol Gyfyn Gwyr, a local Welsh medium secondary school.

Lord Aberdare
Lord Aberdare’s interests include education and employment, Welsh history and culture, the arts (especially classical music), pancreatic cancer and corporate responsibility issues. He previously worked as a consultant in corporate public affairs and reputation management, following 21 years with IBM, including postings in the United States and Belgium. Lord Aberdare is a Deputy Lieutenant of Dyfed, where he has a home. He is a Trustee of St John Cymru – Wales, an Honorary Fellow of Cardiff University, and a Trustee of the Berlioz Society.

Mr Hugh Thomas
Former Chief Executive of Mid Glamorgan County Council, Clerk to the South Wales Police Authority, Clerk of the Lieutenancy and Hon. Secretary for the Assembly of Welsh Counties. He chaired public bodies and voluntary organisations at national level including in the health and higher education sectors. He was a non-Executive Director of Welsh Water and Chairman of the Regulatory Board for Wales. He is an Independent Member of the Standards and Ethics Committee and Vice-Chairman of the Audit Committee of Cardiff Council. Elected President and Fellow of the National Eisteddfod and was Prior of The Order of St John in Wales. Awarded the C.B.E. in 1992 and served as the Honorary Consul of Japan in Wales.

Background
The Board of Trustees, led by the President, holds The National Library of Wales’ collections in trust for the people of Wales and provides strategic direction for the work of the Library.

The position of Trustee demands a minimum time commitment of up to 12 days per year on Library business and Trustees are unpaid. Seven Board meetings are held annually at venues around Wales attended by Trustees. Trustees may also attend other events and meetings on behalf of the Library.
The Library’s President, who chairs the Board, is Rhodri Glyn Thomas. Other appointed officers  on the Board include the Vice-President, which is currently vacant, and the Treasurer, Mr Colin John.

Trustees are asked to undertake the responsibilities of a trustee of a charity, as defined and presented by the Charities Commission. Furthermore, Trustees hold office subject to compliance with the Public Standards Committee ‘Seven Principles of Public Life’ and the guidance issued by the Library.

Trustees should also know about the commitments required of them which arise as a result of the Library’s standing as a Welsh Government Sponsored Body. These are presented in the Framework Document, which explains the Terms and Conditions through which the Library receives public funding from the Welsh Government.

Further Information

Elin-Hâf 01970 632534 or post@llgc.org.uk