Written Statement: Appointment of Chair to the Qualifications Wales Board

Qualifications Wales was established under the Qualifications Wales Act 2015 and became responsible for the regulation of awarding bodies and the quality assurance of non-degree qualifications delivered in Wales.

The Board undertakes an important role in ensuring that Qualifications Wales:

• has effective leadership
• has a well-defined strategic direction, and
• undertakes activities efficiently and in accordance with its aims, objectives and targets.

I am pleased to announce that I have appointed David Jones OBE as Chair of Qualifications Wales when the tenure of the current Chair, Ann Evans, expires in September 2019.

David has over 30 years of experience working in Further Education and Higher Education. He was appointed Principal/Chief Executive of Deeside College in 2004 and has led 3 mergers which resulted in the creation of Coleg Cambria in 2013. David’s current external appointments include chairing the Deeside Enterprise Zone Board, the newly formed AMRC Cymru Board, the CBI North Wales Committee, and he is vice chair of the Collab Group of leading UK colleges. David is also a member of the Welsh Government’s European Advisory Group.

Notes

This appointment was made in accordance with the Commissioner for Public Appointments’ Code of Practice for Ministerial Appointments to Public Bodies.

Remuneration is £337 per day based on a time commitment of up to five days a month. This is the second Ministerial appointment for David Jones

All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees’ political activity (if any declared) to be made public.  The appointee to the Board of Qualifications Wales has not declared any political activity.