Welsh Government Board membership

Permanent Secretary

Dr Andrew Goodall was appointed to the role of Welsh Government Permanent Secretary in November 2021 and leads the Welsh Government Civil Service in delivering the priorities of the First Minister and acts as the Principal Accounting Officer for the Welsh Government. Prior to this he was Director General of Health and Social Services/Chief Executive NHS Wales, a position he had held since June 2014.

Dr Goodall has been an NHS Chief Executive in Wales for 16 years.   Previous posts includes Chief Executive of Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, a position held from the Health Board’s inception in October 2009 until 2014 after NHS re-organisation to the integrated Health Board model.

During his 30 year NHS career, Dr Goodall has held planning and operational positions across a number of NHS organisations across South Wales as well as national roles.  He has particular areas of interest in improving patient safety, quality and patient experience; partnership working and collaboration across Public Services; and delivering frontline services through service improvement and modernisation.

Dr Goodall has a law degree from Essex University and a PhD in Health Service Management from Cardiff Business School.  Dr Goodall was awarded a CBE in the 2018 New Year Honours for his services to the NHS and public services.

Non Executive Director

Gareth is a finance and business professional with over 33 years’ experience in both the private and public sectors. He completed his formal accountancy training with Ernst & Young. In 1990 spun out his own firm with colleagues. His business grew significantly to become one of Wales leading professional services firms. In April 2017 the firm was acquired by the Cogital Group, the UK’s fastest growing professional services group.

Gareth has worked with arm’s length public sector bodies in Wales. He provided external and internal audit services, consultancy advice and risk management training.

Gareth has extensive corporate governance and board level experience. He has held several independent advisory and non-executive director roles, including:

• the chair of audit and risk committees
• The European Medicines Agency, 
• The Nursing & Midwifery Council
• Milford Haven Port Authority.

Current roles include:

• Independent Chairman of Trustees of the Milford Haven Port Authority Pension Scheme
• Non-Executive Director at Spindogs Ltd (one of Wales leading full service digital agencies)
• consultant to Baldwins Accountants, part of the Cogital Group.

Non-Executive Director

Aled Edwards was brought up in Trawsfynydd, Gwynedd. Having graduated from Saint David's University College, Lampeter in 1977, he completed his theological training in Trinity College, Bristol. Aled was later appointed a Member of the Executive Committee of the All Wales Convention on the National Assembly’s legislative powers (2008-09) and served as an adviser on devolution matters on the Commission on a UK Bill of Rights which published its report in 2012.

Aled has also worked extensively in the equalities and human rights arena. Having served as a member of the Equal Opportunities Wales Advisory Committee he was appointed Wales’s Commissioner on the Commission for Racial Equality (2006-07). He served as a member of the Equality and Human Rights Commission's statutory Wales Committee (2007-2017) working as the Wales member on the EHRC's statutory Disability Committee.

In 2006, he received an OBE for his charitable services in Wales and was awarded the Welsh Assembly Government’s Recognition of Achievement Award for services to community relations in Wales in 2010.

Non-Executive Director

The majority of Carys’ professional career has been spent as a Senior Executive in financial services working for the Financial Ombudsman Service, Lloyds Banking Group and KPMG. Specialising in Strategy and Culture Transformation, her experience includes risk management, workforce design and operational leadership in regulated and publicly scrutinised environments.

Carys Williams is currently a Lay Member of the House of Commons Committee on Standards, Chair of Age UK East Sussex, and a Non-Executive Director of both IBAS and East Sussex Healthcare Trust.

Non-Executive Director

Mike Usher retired in 2020 from Audit Wales, where he was a member of the Executive Leadership Team and the strategic lead for the Auditor General’s financial and value for money external audit work across central government and NHS Wales.  He was also the Director of Investigative Studies, responsible for examining concerns about public services raised by Senedd members, MPs and the public. Prior to joining Audit Wales on its creation in 2005, Mike was a Director of Audit at the National Audit Office, based in Cardiff.

Mike is an experienced management consultant, mentor and non-executive director with particular expertise in corporate governance, risk management, organisational culture change, financial strategy and the proper conduct of public business. He previously served as a Trustee of the Institute of Cancer Research in London, where he also chaired the Audit Committee.

In addition to his Welsh Government responsibilities, Mike is currently a non-executive Board member and Audit & Risk Committee member of Newport City Homes.  Mike also serves on both the Advisory Panel and the Audit & Risk Committee of the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales.

Interim Director - Communities & Tackling Poverty

Amelia was appointed as the Welsh Government Board Equality Champion in January 2023. She joined the Welsh Government in 2011 and has a background in law, equality, human rights, communities’ policy and housing. Amelia previously worked in the Disability Rights Commission and Equality and Human Rights Commission; before that she was as a solicitor in private practice and in a community law centre.

Amelia is currently interim Director of Communities and Tackling Poverty. She has held a number of roles in Welsh Government, including having been Senior Responsible Officer for the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act.

Director General and Chief Operating Officer

Previously Chief Executive Officer and Controller General of the UK’s Intellectual Property Office (IPO), Tim has had a 30-year career in the public and private sectors. Prior to joining IPO, he was the Chief Executive at Companies House where his roles included leading on the digital agenda, operational delivery, business strategy, and corporate policy. His career also includes 12 years in senior operational roles in the manufacturing industry. Tim was also awarded a CBE in the 2016 Queen’s Birthday Honours list for services to the economy and the people of Swansea.

Finance Director

Gawain was appointed to the post of Finance Director in October 2015, having spent 3 years in the role of deputy director financial controls. His role involves supporting the Cabinet Secretary for Finance & Local Government, the Permanent Secretary and senior colleagues, to ensure that Welsh Government spending is properly managed and reported and does not exceed approved limits. Gawain works with the Head of internal Audit to provide advice to all accounting officers on regularity, propriety and value for money issues in relation to Welsh Government activities. He is also responsible for ensuring that Welsh Government adheres to the highest standards of governance and risk management. Gawain is Head of Profession for Finance and Accounting staff within the Welsh Government. He is also a member of the Financial Reporting Advisory Board, which advises the UK government on the application of accounting policy, and chairs the Audit Committee for Dyfed/Powys Police.

Prior to joining the Welsh Government, Gawain was with the Ministry of Defence where he worked in a variety of areas. This included stints at Headquarters in Whitehall and in Defence Procurement, where he headed up the Finance Teams for the Carrier and Eurofighter and worked to an industry chief exec as Finance Director for the Carrier Alliance. Gawain is married with one daughter.

Director General – Climate Change and Rural Affairs

Tracey has been directly involved in the regeneration of Wales and Ireland for over 20 years working for the Welsh Government, Welsh Development Agency, the Irish Government, the UK government as well as working with the European Commission.

Tracey was born in Splott in Cardiff and joined the Welsh Government in 2006 from the Welsh Development Agency. Since that time, Tracey has held posts in economic policy and transport policy, as well as a wider strategic role across the Economy, Skills and Natural Resources Group. Tracey was appointed to the post of Director General for Education and Public Services in November 2017.

Director General – Economy, Treasury and Constitution

Andrew became Director General, Economy, Skills and Natural Resources in January 2018.

His previous Welsh Government posts include:

• Lead Director for Environment and Rural Affairs, and
• Head of Policy Profession.

Andrew joined the organisation in 2012. He first worked on EU programmes, and then as Director, Agriculture, Food and Marine.

Before coming to Wales, Andrew worked for the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). He led the setting up of their new national rural development service.

Between 2006 and 2011, Andrew worked in South West England. His roles included:

• Deputy Regional Director at the Government Office responsible for sustainable development, and
• Executive Director of Programmes and Partnerships at the SW Regional Development Agency.

Andrew’s earlier career was with the UK government in London (Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, and then Defra). He held a number of posts there, including Principal Private Secretary to the Secretary of State.

Andrew is a Welsh learner.

Director General – Health and Social Services and Chief Executive, NHS Wales

Judith was appointed to the role of Interim Director General of Health and Social Services/Chief Executive NHS Wales in November 2021. Her role includes both supporting Ministerial priorities for health and social care within the Civil Service structures, and the leadership and oversight of NHS Wales.

Judith’s previous post was as Chief Executive of Aneurin Bevan University Health Board. Judith joined the Health Board as Director of Planning & Operations on 1st October 2009 and subsequently became Chief Operating Officer/Deputy CEO before her appointment as Chief Executive in October 2014. 

Judith has worked in the NHS since 1980 and has undertaken a variety of operational, planning and commissioning roles in a number of NHS organisations across south, mid and west Wales. Judith was appointed to her first CEO role in April 2003.  Judith has a keen interest in partnership working across public services; primary care and community development; value based healthcare and staff development and engagement.

Judith was awarded a Companionship of the Institute of Health Service Managers in 2012 and in June 2014 won the Institute of Directors – Director in Public Service Award for Wales.  In June 2019 Judith was awarded a CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for her services to delivery and management in NHS Wales.

Director, Governance and Ethics

David Richards is a director with the Welsh Government. He joined the Welsh Office in 1979 as a civil servant and has worked with Welsh Ministers on a range of policy issues.

He was Finance Director from 1996 to 2006. He was part of the senior team which managed the legislation for, and setting up of the National Assembly for Wales.

He led the successful project to build the Senedd building. He also led on an establishment of a separate auditing body and Auditor General for Wales. He led the Wanless review of Health and Social Services in Wales.

David is involved in the reorganisation of the Welsh Health Service as Director of Strategic Investment. He is looking at how the public sector can use innovative forms of funding to improve public infrastructure. His current role within Welsh Government is Director of Governance. He provides the Permanent Secretary with assurance on governance issues across the organisation.

David also chaired the UK Intellectual Property Office Steering Board for 10 years up to March 2011.

Director, People & Places

Dom is the Director of People & Places, leading a directorate which includes HR, Estates, Security, Public Bodies, and Translation Services. Dom joined Welsh Government from the House of Lords Administration where he was the Executive Director and board member for HR covering a range of people services across the Lords and on wider bicameral matters. 

Prior to that, Dom was part of the executive board of the UK Intellectual Property Office as their Director of People, Places and Services (covering HR, Estates, Security and Governance). Dom has also worked in a variety of HR roles across the Office for National Statistics and the Senedd Commission. Dom is a Chartered Fellow of the CIPD and lives in Cardiff with his husband, their young son, and is a keen Welsh learner.