Here is our regular round-up of appointments and promotions at some of the biggest businesses from around Wales:
Welsh Government
Dr Dafydd Trystan Davies has been re-appointed as chair of the Welsh Government's Active Travel Board.
Dr Davies was initially appointed as the independent Active Travel Board chair in September 2020.
He will continue leading the board in its role of advising and supporting Welsh Ministers in implementing the Active Travel (Wales) Act 2013 and increasing levels of walking and cycling in Wales.
The Minister for Climate Change Julie James said: "I am pleased with the re-appointment of Dafydd Trystan Davies as chair of our Active Travel Board. He will continue to bring a wealth of experience to the role promoting Active Travel and creating conditions in Wales that will make it much easier, safer and appealing for many more people to walk and cycle for everyday journeys."
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Dr Davies said: "I’m delighted to have been reappointed to chair the Active Travel Board by Welsh Government. The pandemic has cast a large shadow over our work over the past two years, but I’m confident that with the commitment from Welsh Government to develop active travel across Wales and positive engagement from local authorities and other partners we’ll be able to make significant strides forward over the next two years. The climate emergency we face demands nothing less."
Dr Davies previously served as an advisory board member of Sustrans in Wales and a director of Cycle Training Wales. He is currently chair of governors at Ysgol Hamadryad – a school that has implemented an active travel policy from the outset.
He is a board member of Sport Wales and chairs RunWales.
Hodge
Cardiff-based Hodge has expanded its commercial lending team with three new managerial appointments.
Andy Buss joins as senior business development manager, along with David Hales while Jon Hankins has been appointed senior relationship manager.
Mr Buss joins Hodge from Cambridge and Counties Bank, before that he spent nearly 20 years at NatWest in the commercial real estate team, working with property developers and investors in the south west of England.
Mr Hales spent most of his career in commercial finance, most recently at Assetz Capital, where he was a commercial director lending money to house builders. He has also worked at the Bank of Scotland, Metro Bank and Clydesdale Banks in their commercial property departments.
Mr Hankins has moved back into banking after spending nearly four years with Homes England, managing a portfolio of property development clients. Before that he was at The Bank of Ireland and Barclays in various client management roles.
Kevin Beevers, managing director of commercial lending at Hodge, said: “So far 2022 has been an exciting one for Hodge’s commercial lending team. We have launched four new products, with a fifth on the way next month, as well as making significant changes to the criteria around our development finance products to enable us to support more customers by lending on alternative residential classes, including office buildings, industrial and mixed-use buildings. On top of this, we’ve also added a wealth of experience to our team with a number of key appointments."
He added: "Andy, David and Jon have great reputations in the industry and bring with them invaluable knowledge which will no doubt add to our client offering. In addition we are currently looking for a few more team members in the development finance and portfolio teams."
Town Square Spaces
Adam Sparkes has been appointed community manager at business hub Cwrt Cowork in north Cardiff.
Mr Sparkes will be responsible for finding and supporting new members, sourcing and organising business mentors, arranging events and the general day-to-day running of the space.
Cwrt, based in the New Directions building on Cardiff Business Park in Llanishen, is run by Town Square Spaces (TownSq), which also operates spaces in London, Wrexham, West Sussex, Oxfordshire, Devon and Rhyl.
The modern building boasts 14 small and medium offices, a coworking space for up to 60 people and a number of meeting rooms.
It aims to provide flexible workspace for individuals right through to growing teams.
Under Mr Sparkes management, the space has already added 49 members and filled five of its office spaces.
Prior to the role, Mr Sparkes has worked as a retail manager for various companies over the past thirteen years.
Mr Sparkes said: "It’s been a privilege to join the TownSq team and be a part of Cwrt’s first steps from launching to meeting and working with the founding members. TownSq is a leader in the drive for more flexible, accessible and affordable working options, and I found myself instantly aligning with the company’s values of being kind to the planet and the local communities we work within."
He added: "Our vision for Cwrt is for it to become a place synonymous with growth, where people embark on new business ventures, develop existing ones, and reach new heights with the support of a diverse mix of other entrepreneurs and professionals. The space is already buzzing with the sharing of ideas and feedback, offers of discounts and partnerships, and stimulating conversations - this will only increase as our community grows, and I look forward to seeing the positive knock-on effect it will have on the businesses who are part of it."
Community director for TownSq Jamie McGowan said: “The Community Manager is a key part of the support we offer at our hubs. Coworking is not just about providing desk space and internet access, it’s about fostering a community of supportive individuals and teams, who can share experience and help each other grow. Adam is just the person to do that, and his incredible sense of purpose will be invaluable as he helps people take their first steps to a new way of working.”
Pobl Group
Wales' largest social housing and care association Pobl Group has appointed Julia Cherrett as its new chair designate.
Ms Cherrett takes over the role from Wendy Bourton OBE who served in the post for six years. She will be formally confirmed as chair in the group's AGM in September.
Already on the Pobl board, Ms Cherrett began her career in HR in financial services and the water industry before moving to customer service and commercial roles in utility businesses in the UK and Europe.
Also an independent board member with Natural Resources Wales, Ms Cherrett has experience in leading major change programmes including service improvements and IT change and brings both operational and strategic experience to the organisation.
Ms Cherrett said: "I am proud to take up the post of chair with Pobl and I’m excited about picking up the baton from Wendy, leading the board in supporting the group to achieve its ambitions. With a strong leadership team, people right across the business at every level who are passionate about what they do each day and a strong culture of shared endeavour in place, we have solid foundations to deliver for customers, communities and colleagues."
Chief executive Amanda Davies said: "Wendy has given tremendous service to Pobl, helping to steer the group through the post-merger years and to truly establish the ‘One Pobl’ ethic. I know how proud she has been to serve as chair, she will be missed by us all.
"In her place, Julia brings a wealth of expertise, experience and leadership acumen to the role and, having served on Pobl’s Board, offers continuity and will ensure that our culture of shared endeavour continues to thrive as we focus on delivering an ambitious programme of investment and service improvement."
Go Commercial Finance
Independent commercial finance advisors Go Commercial Finance have appointed Leighton Davies as head of asset finance.
Mr Davies joins the firm, which has offices in South Wales and London, bringing over 15 years' experience in the automotive industry to the role having worked with Ford, Volkswagen and BMW.
Go Commercial Finance offers a range of asset finance options including hire purchase, finance lease, operating lease and contract hire available from 100% to part-finance and re-financing.
Mr Davies said: "I am delighted to be joining Go Commercial, at what is a crucial time for businesses as they face unprecedented challenges.
"Investing in vehicles, equipment and machinery is a key strategic business decision, and it is vital that business owners get the right guidance on how to maximise their investments. I’m committed to developing trusted relationships with our clients by helping their businesses reach their full potential."
Managing director David Vieira said: "I’m thrilled to welcome Leighton to the Go Commercial team. Leighton’s proven experience and knowledge of the finance and motoring sectors is a tremendous asset and a real benefit to clients.”
The Cyber Resilience Centre for Wales
Professor Simon Gibson CBE has joined the management board line-up at The Cyber Resilience Centre for Wales.
Prof Gibson is the chief executive of Wesley Clover Corporation, a global technology, real estate and hospitality management company with bases in Newport, and Canada's capital Ottawa.
He is chairman of the Alacrity Foundation, also based in Newport, that delivers a graduate entrepreneurship programme with applied business training and mentorship with an ambition to develop a new generation of technology entrepreneurs in the UK.
He was co-founder, president and chief executive of Ubiquity Software Corporation, and chairman of a number of tech and cyber companies.
Professor Gibson said: “I am excited to join the WCRC board. Furthering the ambition to make the United Kingdom the safest place to do business is a collective effort and I am confident the business community in Wales can contribute to that aim. As an example, the Alacrity Foundation is developing the next generation of cyber security entrepreneurs delivering solutions for a safe and secure Wales.”
Director of the WCRC, detective superintendent Paul Peters said: “We are honoured to welcome Simon to our management board. His experience and knowledge in the technology field will be hugely valuable to the centre as we continue to grow. We are committed to driving the cyber resilience message across the SME landscape in Wales and with such highly regarded individuals as Simon helping us to steer the WCRC, this will only help make the work we do an even greater success.”
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