Our board
Cwmpas has been in business since the early 1980s. Our sustainability has been the result of strong governance and a reputation for delivery.
Our Board is made up of 10 people – most of whom have been elected from our active community of members. It also includes a small number of people who have been co-opted because of their specialist skills and expertise. The Board has one committee – the Risk and Audit Committee – which has five members.
Meet our board members
John is a qualified chartered accountant and has been a director of Williams Ross Limited in Cardiff for 16 years. He has had a professional involvement in providing assurance services, advice, support and training in the not for profit sector covering charities, credit unions and other voluntary organisations for a number of years.
His voluntary activities have included:
Being a management board member of Cwmpas for over 14 years.
Being a board member of Cynon Taf Housing Group since September 2018.
Having been a board member of three different housing associations for a combined total of over twenty five years up to 2018.
Originally from Cefneithin in Carmarthenshire, Richard began his career in television and theatre before a local government career in leisure, arts, culture and tourism spanning 16 years. Richard took up the role of Chief Executive of Awen Cultural Trust in October 2015 and has steered the organisation since its inception into a new period of growth and development. He oversees the strategic management of the Awen and its trading subsidiary Awen Trading Ltd. with around 190 staff across 18 different sites.
Richard is a Member of the Institute of Directors and is a full member of the Bridgend Public Service Board. A fluent Welsh speaker, Richard is married with two children and is a season ticket holder and staunch follower of the Scarlets.
Nisreen Mansour is a Policy Officer at the Wales TUC, contributing to the organisation’s policy work on the economy and Fair Work agenda. Before joining the Wales TUC, she worked for the Bevan Foundation, an independent think tank based in Merthyr Tydfil, and for a South Wales MP.
Ben is a Director at Arup, based in Cardiff with 20 years’ experience of working with public and private sector organisations on transport advisory and infrastructure projects. He leads the Arup business in Wales and is currently working with clients across Wales, Northern Ireland and England. Ben is passionate about unlocking the potential of individuals regardless of their background. Through his working career he has developed experience of start-ups/mobilisation, profit and loss account management, diversity, change management, team leadership, strategic leadership and business development.
A global professional services company, Arup has over 400 staff based in Wales and a history of almost 50 years in Cardiff. As an employee-owned company Arup takes pride in their community involvement and connection to the societies they serve.
Outside of work Ben has volunteered as a Wales Deaf Rugby Union committee member, helping to raise funds to provide development opportunities for young children and adults alike. As a father of two young boys, he is also involved in coaching football and rugby. He enjoys keeping fit by attending the gym, running and, despite the ravages of time, occasionally putting the boots back on for a game of rugby.
Amanda is a BAFTA award-winning, TV and digital broadcast specialist. As S4C’s Director of Content and subsequently Director of Platforms, Amanda operated at board and senior leadership level, leading the broadcaster’s creative and digital commissioning strategy. She is currently a non-executive member of Ofcom’s Advisory Committee for Wales, a charity trustee at Saving Saints Rescue UK, a business consultant and coaching facilitator.
Amanda has a Masters in Business and Organisational Psychology and a CMI Diploma (Level 7) in Professional Consulting. Prior to joining S4C in 2016 Amanda ran her own production company, TiFiNi Ltd which specialised in making special access, award nominated documentaries.
Born and raised in the Gwendraeth Valley, Amanda is a fluent Welsh speaker, a passionate advocate of authentic leadership and social inclusion, a huge dog lover and lapsed musician.
As an experienced senior finance professional, Gareth has worked in the housing, care, and support sector for nearly 20 years.
As the Executive Director of Finance & Resources for Newport City Homes (NCH), Gareth has provided the strategic direction and quality assurance for an integrated portfolio delivering support to front line services, championing innovative continuous improvement that drives better cost and quality management. Gareth collaborates with the Board to develop the financial, HR, risk management, assurance, value for money and governance frameworks of NCH. Gareth is currently leading a strategic change programme which has been designed to influence a cultural framework for NCH and define how and where they work to enable them to put their customers and colleagues at the centre of everything that they do. This extends to developing and implementing two of the association’s strategic commitments: i) equality, diversity, and inclusion; and ii) environmental sustainability.
A fluent Welsh speaker originally from west Wales, Gareth now lives in south Monmouthshire with his wife and two daughters.
Kit’s early career included leadership roles at 118 118 and RBS before joining Vale of Glamorgan Council as their call centre manager. Kit moved to Newport City Council, where he transformed their customer service and channel strategies. Following Newport, Kit moved into the outsourcing world, working with Liberata and more recently Agilisys on the customer services contract at North Somerset Council. Prior to joining Welsh Water, Kit held the position of Partnership Director with Agilisys and was responsible for Digital, Change Customer Service, IT, HR, Payroll, Facilities, Procurement and Revenue & Benefits for the South West. At Welsh Water he is responsible for all Change, Continuous Improvement and Digital services across the organisation.
Outside work, Kit’s key passion is sport. He coaches his son’s football team, plays cricket for Creigau Cricket Club and enjoys running.
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