Leading º£½ÇÊÓƵ finance specialists Annie Ropar and Paul Oldham have been appointed to the board of the Development Bank of Wales.
Ms Ropar is executive director and chief financial officer of the £27.8bn National Wealth Fund set up by the º£½ÇÊÓƵ Government.
She was previously one of the first employees of the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB), joining as its inaugural chief financial officer and chief administrative officer.
She also spent five years with Aequitas NEO Exchange Inc. (now CBOE Canada), and nine years with Royal Bank of Canada’s Capital Markets arm, where her career spanned finance, private equity and the institutional equity trading business.
Mr Oldham is a portfolio director and investment committee member of equity investment company BGF. He joined BGF in May 2011 and established and managed the company’s offices in Bristol, Cardiff and Reading. He previously worked as a private equity investor for 16 years with 3i and LDC. Having qualified as a chartered accountant with KPMG, Paul’s career has also included a period of six years as a partner with Grant Thornton during which time he led the firm’s south west of England and south Wales corporate finance advisory team.
Sally Bridgeland chair of the Development Bank of Wales said. “I’m delighted to welcome Annie and Paul as Board members at this exciting time for the Development Bank of Wales. With over £2bn in funds under management and a portfolio of more than 3,600 businesses, our influence is growing and reaching deeper into communities across Wales.
“The development bank has become a vital link between institutional investors and local enterprises—bridging the gap and unlocking opportunities for partnership between the public and private sectors.
" I firmly believe collaboration is the cornerstone of sustainable growth, and with these new appointments, we are further strengthening our position as a trusted partner to Welsh businesses, investors and communities.â€
Mr Oldham said: “The development bank is widely respected as the leading provider of sustainable and effective finance for Welsh businesses. The business model ensures Welsh taxpayer funds are treated responsibly without compromising ambition while the early-stage support for high-potential ventures is preparing companies like development bank-backed Coincover and Space Forge to compete on the global stage.
“I’m looking forward to what I am sure will be a deeply rewarding opportunity to help shape the future of SMEs across Wales by guiding funding decisions that enable startups, scale-ups, and communities to thrive.â€
Ms Ropar added: “The Development Bank of Wales is a catalyst for local innovation, job creation, and economic balance. With a focus on sustainable economic growth, we have the potential to transform regions by unlocking talent, building ecosystems, and levelling u Leading º£½ÇÊÓƵ finance specialists Annie Ro p opportunity where it’s needed most. I saw the difference that this approach made in Canada during my time with the Canada Infrastructure Bank and it is now also at the heart of the work that we’re doing at the National Wealth Fund.
“I’m excited about bringing this experience to Wales and doing what I can to encourage collaboration and maximise the impact of private investment alongside public finance for the people of Wales.â€
