New-Look Board Ready To Take Wrexham Glyndŵr University To The Next Level

THE new-look Board of Governors at Wrexham Glyndŵr University is ready to take the “dynamic and ambitious” institution to the next level. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The latest names to join the eight year-old university’s Board are Professor Sandra Jowett, a senior manager and strategic leader in both the public and private sector for more than 25 years; Judy Owen, former Finance Director at St Asaph-based Pilkington Special Glass and Siemens in Los Angeles and Llanberis, with a career in finance spanning 42 years, and Paul McGrady, a qualified accountant and Director of Resources at Cartrefi Cymunedol Gwynedd. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Joining the Board in the early autumn will be retired civil servant and magistrate David Subacchi (pictured right) and Avox COO Paul Barlow. They follow Celia Jenkins, former High Sheriff of Clwyd, the Bank of England’s former Agent for Wales, Neil Ashbridge; Denbighshire County Council’s Corporate Director: Economic & Community Ambition, Rebecca Maxwell, and Chair Maxine Penlington OBE, ex-Chief Operating Officer at Birmingham City University and former Executive Secretary at the CUC (Committee of University Chairs) ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Deeside-based Comtek CEO Askar Sheibani and Gill Kreft of Pendine Park care organisation in Wrexham are also among the other fresh names to have signed-up to take the University forward under the leadership of a new management team helmed by Vice-Chancellor Professor Maria Hinfelaar and incoming Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Dr Claire Taylor. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Others recruits are Dr Colin Stuhlfelder, Senior Lecturer in Built Environment who was elected as a governor by the University’s teaching staff, and Emma Perrin, Director at Guy Walmsley Chartered Accountants, who will serve on the Board’s Audit Committee. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

A former school governor, David Subacchi has lived in the area for more than 25 years and says the opportunity to serve Wrexham Glyndŵr is a “huge honour” he greatly looks forward to. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I know the University well and have supported many events here over the years,” said David, whose daughter graduated from Wrexham Glyndŵr with a degree in Youth and Community Studies. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Wrexham is the economic centre of North Wales and it’s vital the area has a vibrant and attractive university with strong leadership and the backing of the region. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“There’s a lot to be done in attracting students, which in turn reinforces the financial side of things, but there is so much to shout about here – there’s so many good things happening. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“There is a lot of choice for students, and we of course need students to make the whole thing go and deliver what the University should be doing, so it’s about instilling that confidence and attracting them to join us to be part of its exciting future.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Sandra Jowett, who was a born in St Asaph and schooled in Wales, spent many years leading research teams at the National Foundation for Educational Research in England and Wales. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

She agrees the institution must show more confidence given the strides made under Interim Vice-Chancellor Professor Graham Upton, who relinquished the role last month. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I am delighted to be joining the Wrexham Glyndŵr Board at this very important stage in its growth and development,” said Sandra. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Growing up in Wales and entering university as a mature student, I am personally aware of the transformational power of higher education and am fully committed to the delivery of high quality learning, teaching and research.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

She added: “I am very pleased to have the opportunity to be involved with Wrexham Glyndŵr University. It is so important that we have this dynamic and ambitious institution to meet the needs of the region.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Judy Owen, from St Asaph, says she plans to use her commercial knowledge in an educational context. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“This is quite different to what I have been involved with in the past 42 years, but I’m very much looking forward to the challenge and to being able to make a positive contribution to the development of the University,” she said. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Following the launch of a new five-year strategic framework – which included a projected £1.7million surplus for 2015/16 – Neil Ashbridge, from Marford, revealed he and the other members see a bright future for Wrexham Glyndŵr. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Having retired from the Bank of England last year following a 40-year career, he is pleased to have joined Wrexham Glyndŵr University at this “exciting” time. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“There is a new focus of the strategy and I find that exciting to be involved with,” said Mr Ashbridge, originally from Heswall, Wirral. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I was also attracted by the positioning of the institution, as being even more ingrained in the community of north east Wales and its businesses – that’s really why I got involved. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“When you’ve worked in public service for such a long time you feel you’d like to give something back, and this is an opportunity to do so.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Ms Penlington added “ I am delighted to welcome such a strong pool of talent to the Board and I am looking forward to working with them to support the Vice-Chancellor and her senior team on implementing the strategic framework and realising the vision of the University.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​