There have been some significant appointments made in Wales in recent weeks. In our latest jobs round-up, we take a look at some of those who have taken on new roles.
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JCP Solicitors
Law firm JCP Solicitors has promoted 13 solicitors to senior associates. It comes as the Swansea-headquartered law firm, which has offices across South Wales and South West of England, has launched a career structure aimed at recognising the dedication and expertise of its solicitors and supporting their future development.
Hayley Davies, director and chief executive at JCP Solicitors, said: "We are committed to supporting the career development of our team and I would like to congratulate all those who have been very deservedly promoted to the role of senior associate.
“We have introduced this new tier in recognition of the unparalleled dedication and specialist knowledge our solicitors bring. This new role provides an enhanced position between associate and director, creating a clear and transparent pathway.”
Moondance Cancer Initiative
Moondance Cancer Initiative has appointed Sara Moseley as its new chief executive. Due to take up her new role in January, Ms Moseley joins Moondance from her role as head of GMC Wales at the General Medical Council.
Her previous roles include director of Mind Cymru, director of communications for the Welsh Government and director of communications for Barts and the London NHS Trust. She is also an independent board member of the Cardiff and Vale University Health Board.
Ms Moseley said: “I’m driven by fairness and deeply affected by the inequalities in cancer outcomes across society. Wales has an opportunity to be a world leader in making cancer outcomes fair for all, and the Moondance Cancer Initiative has a unique role to play in that quest. If you’re involved in cancer services in Wales or have an idea to improve outcomes for patients, we’ll be listening, open to partnership and positivity to affect sustainable, scalable change.”
Persimmon East Wales
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Andrew Hopkins is the new construction director for Persimmon Homes East Wales region.
Mr Hopkins, who has worked in the building industry for more than 40 years, joins Persimmon from Redrow where he served as both a build manager and construction director in the South West of England.
Having worked for Barratt Developments and Linden Homes, Mr Hopkins will drive construction performance in East Wales and oversee the construction on the region’s active sites include Carn y Cefn in Ebbw Vale and The Parish at Llanilltern Village in Creigiau.
Regional managing director Lee Woodfine said: “Andrew has a wealth of experience working with numerous PLC developers, and a significant track record of delivering high-quality homes and developments.”
Rubin Lewis O’Brien
Cwmbran law practice Ruben Lewis O’Brien has promoted two of its solicitors to partners of the firm. Patrick Howarth has become head of litigation and Andrew Williams-Jones has become the head of property.
Mr Howarth said: “Being invited to become a partner of the firm is the proudest moment of my career to date. I joined Rubin Lewis O'Brien in February 2017 and to have progressed to the level of partner here in that time is something about which I feel immensely proud.I look forward to continuing my career here and to further develop and expand the firm’s litigation practice."
Mr Williams-Jones said: “Being invited to be a partner at this firm is a proud moment for me. When I joined the firm, I was aware that there was a reputation for investing in and developing its staff and assisting them in progressing their careers. I am pleased that my work here has been recognised and that I have been given this fantastic opportunity to continue to build on the success of our property department."
Torfaen Leisure Trust
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Former CEO of Pontypool RFC Ben Jeffreys has been appointed chief executive officer of Torfaen Leisure Trust and will start in the new year.
Mr Jeffreys said: “It’s my ambition to build strong and lasting partnerships with key stakeholders and identify new opportunities focussed on ensuring Torfaen Leisure Trust plays an ever expanding and widening role in improving the health and wellbeing of everybody in Torfaen.
“I’m excited by the opportunity to work with the Board to deliver on Torfaen Leisure Trust’s strategic plan, whilst I also acknowledge the challenges both the Trust and wider community in Torfaen faces from the double impact of recovering from COVID-19 and navigating through an unprecedented cost of living crisis.”
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Blake Morgan
Law firm Blake Morgan has appointed Trish D’Souza as a legal director within its education sector team.
A public and judicial review law specialist, Ms D’Souza joins the team from Capital Law and has been recommended by the prestigious Legal 500 index as a ‘rising star’ in the public law arena. She is also the chair of Cardiff and District Law Society’s BAME & Friends committee.
Ms D’Souza said: “I am incredibly excited about the opportunity to work with a firm and colleagues that I have admired afar for some time. I am looking forward to getting stuck into wider commercial disputes work on behalf of education and public sector clients. I am also enthused about the opportunity to return to my first love in law, namely, commencing or defending judicial review challenges.”
Global Centre of Rail Excellence
The Global Centre of Rail Excellence (GCRE) has appointed Gail Hawthorne and Simon Blanchflower CBE as new non-executive directors along with Rob Thompson as director of implementation.
Commercial lawyer and barrister, Ms Hawthorne has worked at the Bar and in private practice as a commercial litigator and as interim group legal counsel for Scottish Water.
A Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers, Mr Blanchflower retired from his role as chief executive of the East West Railway Company in March 2022. He has led the delivery of major rail infrastructure projects including being the major programme director on the Thameslink Programme.
Mr Thompson joined GCRE from his previous role as operations director for Celtic Energy, the previous landowners. Will Watson, chief executive of Celtic Energy has also stepped down from his role as non-executive director of GCRE.
GCRE chair Dr Debra Williams said: “Led by Simon Jones as chief executive, we’re building the team that will deliver the premier rail research, testing and validation centre in Europe, providing complete and world leading services for the whole rail industry.
“With the formal land acquisition from Celtic Energy now complete, we’re preparing for the start of construction with the aim of having our commercial rolling stock storage facility available to the market within the next 12 months.”
National Botanic Garden of Wales
Dr Lucy Sutherland has become the new Director of the National Botanic Garden of Wales. She joins the Welsh institution from her role as a strategic consultant to the Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust, which manages the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, Blue Mountains Botanic Garden and the Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan.
Dr Sutherland said: “It is an exciting and rare chance to lead a relatively young botanic garden through its next phase of maturity.
“It is also a unique opportunity at a time when the global population is facing multiple crises and there is growing ambition and support for addressing climate change and continuing efforts towards biodiversity conservation and a sustainable future.”
Dr Sutherland sees the National Botanic Garden of Wales as “continuing to have a critical role in this agenda”.
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