Written Statement: Reappointment of Members to the Welsh Language Commissioner’s Advisory Panel

It gives me great pleasure to announce the re-appointment of Anne Davies and Nia Elias as Members of the Welsh Language Commissioner’s Advisory Panel. The reappointment will begin on 24 February 2023 for a three year term.

The Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011, which established the Advisory Panel specifies that the Welsh Minister must ensure that, as far as it practicable, there are at least three members of the advisory panel at any time.  Reappointing Anne and Nia in addition to the three existing Members, Rona Aldrich, Elin Maher and Gwyn Williams ensures that the panel has the range of skills and experiences necessary to provide the Commissioner with advice on matters relevant to her functions.

Anne Davies is Professor of Law and Public Policy in the Law Faculty at the University of Oxford. She has particular expertise in relation to employment law and public law, in particular, government contracts. Anne was born and brought up in England and has ties to north and west Wales. She learnt Welsh as an adult and contributes a learner’s perspective to the Advisory Panel’s discussions.

Nia Elias is a member of Museum Wales’s Senior Executive Team and leads fundraising for the charity with its Initiatives and Philanthropy teams. In addition, she volunteers as Director on the Board of the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol. Born in Newport, she grew up in Carmarthen with strong family ties to Ceredigion.  Nia now lives with her young family in the Vale of Glamorgan. She speaks fluent Welsh. After studying history at Warwick University, Nia developed a career in corporate events and fundraising at the Imperial War Museum, Somerset House and the Tate Gallery. During her time in London she volunteered to raise money for the city's Welsh nursery circles. Nia spent five years as Deputy Director of Business Performance at Wales Millennium Centre leading income generation and customer experience teams. Her practical experience of leading on the implementation of Welsh Language Standards within the organisation provides an important perspective to the panel discussions as well as her experience of being an interim Director of charity Blood Cancer UK during 2020 with teams across the UK and a bilingual beneficiary in Wales.

Efa Gruffudd Jones, Welsh Language Commissioner, said:

“As the new Welsh Language Commissioner I am pleased that both Anne and Nia have been re-appointed to my Advisory Panel.  Both offer different perspectives to the Advisory Panel’s discussions based on their expertise within their respective fields. Looking at the Advisory Panel as a whole, I am confident that I have an effective and experienced Panel who will be able to offer valuable advice as I undertake my role”.