First Non-Executive Board for Creative Wales announced.
Cyhoeddi Bwrdd Anweithredol Cyntaf Cymru Greadigol
Deputy Minister for Culture Sport and Tourism, Lord Elis-Thomas has announced the appointment of the Chair and Members of the first Non-Executive Board for Creative Wales.
Creative Wales was set up in January to drive the growth of the creative industries in Wales.
Catryn Ramasut has been appointed as chair of the board. As an entrepreneurial media practitioner, Catryn Ramasut’s career has spanned more than 20 years in radio, television, print, music management and advertising, both domestically and internationally. Since returning to her hometown of Cardiff in 2010 she has established an award-winning production company, ie ie productions. Speaking of her appointment, she said: “I am more eager than ever to dedicate my time and energy to ensure a more buoyant creative industry in Wales that is diverse and inclusive by design.”
The appointed Board Members are; Dr David Banner MBE; Garffild Lloyd Lewis; Helgard Krause; Siân Gale; Richie Turner and Phil Henfrey.
In confirming the appointments, the Deputy Minister, said: I’m delighted with the talent, experience and diversity we have on our first Non-Executive Board for Creative Wales, and we look forward to working with them to develop this sector further.
“Our aim is to work on the existing successes in the screen industry and build on these to drive growth across the whole creative sector; developing a skills base that is world class, expanding support beyond film and TV and positioning Wales as the place to locate a creative business.”
The Board met for the first time on Friday 6 November, the chair and members will serve for three years.
Notes to editors
Biographical details.
Garffild Lloyd Lewis
Garffild has extensive experience in a number of areas including Journalism, Communications, Marketing, Training and Strategic Project Management. He was a journalist, trainer and manager with BBC Wales for 25 years before setting up his own consultancy company in strategic management and training. He then joined S4C in 2009, first as Director of Communications and Marketing and then as Director of Projects and Relocation. Garffild led the project to relocate S4C's headquarters to Yr Egin creative hub in Carmarthen. Garffild is Chair of Creative North Wales, a body that represents the Creative and Digital sector in the Region and consequently, is a member of the North Wales Skills Partnership and North Wales Business Council.
Dr David Banner MBE
Dr David Banner MBE is a multi-award winning video games writer, producer, director and entrepreneur. He is co-founder and Managing Director of Wales Interactive, a BAFTA Cymru award winning video games & interactive movie publisher based in Pencoed, South Wales. As well as being a three-time BAFTA Cymru winner, in 2017 he received the St David Award for Enterprise. This was for his entrepreneurial achievements establishing the Welsh Games Industry and its positive impact on the Welsh economy. In January 2020 he was awarded the title of Honorary Doctor of Technology from De Montfort University Leicester in recognition for his achievements over his 25 year video games industry career.
Helgard Krause
Helgard Krause is the CEO of the Books Council of Wales, a national charity which supports the books industry in Wales. Originally from Germany, Helgard came to the UK to complete an MA in English Literature at University of Sussex and spent 10 years working in international sales, rights and marketing working for several British academic, professional and trade publishers.
In 2017 Helgard was appointed Chief Executive of the Books Council of Wales and since then she was named as one of the top 150 most influential people in publishing in Britain in 2019. Helgard was made a Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales in May 2019 in recognition of her outstanding contribution to publishing and culture sectors in Wales and was invited to join the Gorsedd of the Bards in 2020.
Siân Gale
Siân started her career in production at HTV Wales followed by 10 years as a freelance Production Manager/Line Producer working across drama, light entertainment and factual. Over the last 20 years she’s pursued a portfolio career including managing a £13m European funded business start-up programme empowering under-represented groups to set-up in business; managing a broadcast charity and as a consultant, trainer and project manager working across the public, private and third sectors. She currently work for the trade union Bectu on CULT Cymru, a joint union learning programme for creatives and is a member of the Wales TUCs General Council and Equality Committee.
Richie Turner
Richie has worked in a variety of roles in the arts and creative industries, higher
education and the public sector specialising in innovation, entrepreneurship and
diversity. He currently manages the Startup Stiwdio (a creative industries and digital incubator) at the University of South Wales’ Cardiff Campus and is a lecturer on the MA Arts Management course at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.
His recent consultancy work has seen him work for all 4 of the UK's Arts Councils and the BFI, spearheading research into the establishment of a UK wide arts access ticketing card scheme for all disabled people. He has recently been commissioned by National Museums Wales and Arts Council Wales to research why many disabled people are disengaged in the arts and cultural heritage sectors. He is a board member of Creative Cardiff and Gentle/ Radical.
Phil Henfrey, Head of News & Programmes, ITV Cymru Wales
Phil leads ITV Cymru Wales, the commercial producer broadcaster serving television and digital audiences in Wales. Against a challenging media backdrop, Phil has steered ITV Wales to be the nation’s most popular peak time television channel; launched a national digital news service and built a thriving factual production business with commissions from the ITV network, BBC Wales and S4C. As the first member of his family to attend university, Phil understands the value a progressive inclusivity policy brings putting himself at the forefront of an award winning apprenticeship programme that now successfully attracts new talent and skills. Phil has worked in Welsh journalism for 30 years and currently oversees 300 hours a year of public service programming for audiences in Wales. A member of ITV’s senior leadership team, Phil also chairs ITV’s International Ambassadors, a colleague network covering ITV’s production companies in Europe, Asia and North America.
Picture caption: Chair of the Board - Catryn Ramasut