Julie James MS, Minister for Climate Change
I am happy to be able to provide members with a further update on the progress we are making in establishing a Welsh state developer to benefit Welsh citizens.
Trydan Gwyrdd Cymru is being set up to accelerate the development of renewable energy projects on the wider Welsh public estate and maximise their value for the people of Wales. The interim delivery team is working both on establishing the developer body and continuing to develop projects, in advance of the body being formally established in April 2024.
I am delighted to announce that we have secured a highly experienced Chair for the independent Board that will steer the company, following an open competition. We have appointed Llyr Roberts, who has had a successful international career with Prysmian Group (the world’s largest cable manufacturer), culminating in his appointment as Senior Vice President for one of the company’s global business units. Prior to that he held numerous Regional CEO positions in Eastern Europe, Australia/New Zealand, Germany, and the UK. His extensive and directly relevant experience will be hugely helpful to the new company. I look forward to working with Llyr to deliver our ambitions for Trydan Gwyrdd Cymru to bring real value to our communities over the long term.
With Llyr’s appointment, we are now able to launch the search for three Non-Executive Directors to join the independent Board. Together with the Chair and Chief Executive Officer, they will form the Board of Directors responsible for setting and delivering a clear vision for the company.
We are looking for people with the skills, knowledge, and lived experiences to help lead and support Trydan Gwyrdd Cymru. In particular, we are interested in hearing from people from a variety of backgrounds to make sure our Board represents the make-up of modern Welsh society.
I am also happy to announce the location of the company’s base. Although the team will use the hybrid model of working that embodies the modern approach to employment, it will need a base where the team can come together. As part of our ambition for sharing the estate with other public bodies, Trydan Gwyrdd Cymru will be based in our Merthyr Tydfil office, with access to a range of modern and flexible facilities.
We are now within six months of the formal launch of Trydan Gwyrdd Cymru and work continues at pace. I look forward to bringing you further updates on the progress of our publicly owned company.