The Directors

The Board of Directors is responsible for the strategic direction of the company and for reviewing operational and financial performance. It currently comprises 3 Executive Directors and 7 Non–Executive Directors (including the Chairman of the Board).

Bob Ayling Chairman

Appointed a Non-Executive Director in April 2008, Mr Ayling (63) became Chairman of Glas Cymru in July 2010. He is also Vice–Chairman of Dyson Limited and Chairman of the International Dispute Resolution Centre. A solicitor by profession, with 20 years in the City of London and as a senior government legal advisor at the Department of Trade and Industry, he was Managing Director and Chief Executive of British Airways plc from 1993 to 2000. He is also a former Chairman of Holidaybreak plc and non Executive Director of Royal & Sunalliance Insurance Group.

Nigel Annett Managing Director

Appointed Managing Director in January 2005, Mr Annett (50) has been an Executive Director of Glas Cymru since April 2000, and of Dŵr Cymru (Welsh Water) since May 2001. He was previously a Director of Welsh Water between 1992 and 2000, prior to which he held various investment banking positions with Schroders, County Natwest and Wasserstein Perella.

Chris Jones Finance Director

Appointed Finance Director of Glas Cymru in April 2000 and of Dŵr Cymru (Welsh Water) in May 2001, Mr Jones (45) was previously Director of Regulation of Welsh Water and South Wales Electricity Plc. Before joining Welsh Water in 1995, he was a Director at National Economic Research Associates and, prior to that, worked for HM Treasury. He is a Non–Executive Director of the Principality Building Society, a Member of the Board of the Institute of Welsh Affairs and Deputy Chairman of The Prince’s Trust – Cymru.

Peter Perry Operations Director

Appointed Operations Director in July 2006, Mr Perry (47) has a civil engineering background and was formerly the Chief Operating Officer for United Utilities Operational Services (UUOS), having previously been the Operations Director for UUOS with responsibility for the operational contract with Welsh Water and UUOS’s water interests in Scotland and Ireland. Prior to joining UUOS he worked for Dŵr Cymru (Welsh Water) for over 17 years. He is also a Director (representing Wales) at The Water Regulations Advisory Service, the national body specifying standards for materials and workmanship used in potable water supply.

John Bryant Non–Executive Director and Senior Independent Director

Appointed a Non–Executive Director in March 2001. Mr Bryant (66) is a former Chief Executive of British Steel and, until December 2000, was Joint Chief Executive of Corus Plc. He is a Non–Executive Director of Costain Group Plc, and was a Non–Executive Director of Bank of Wales Plc between 1996 and 2001.

Tony Hobson Non–Executive Director

Appointed a Non–Executive Director in February 2001. Mr Hobson (62) is the is the Chairman of The Sage Group plc, a non executive director of esure, and Chairman of Changing Faces, the UK's leading disfigurement charity. He was previously Chairman of Northern Foods plc and Group Finance Director of Legal and General Group plc.

Professor Stephen Palmer Non–Executive Director

Appointed a Non–Executive Director in October 2009, Professor Palmer (58) is Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health at Cardiff University, where he is the inaugural Cochrane Professor of Epidemiology, and he chairs the Wales Chief Medical Officer’s Health Protection Committee. From 2003 until July 2010 he has been Director of the Health Protection Agency’s chemical hazards division, local and regional services division, and head of profession for epidemiology in the HPA. A fellow of the Faculty of Public Health and the Royal College of Physicians, he has been an influential figure in public health for over 25 years. He has a long CV of previous public health professional functions and has written many books and peer reviewed papers on infectious diseases and chemical hazards.

Menna Richards Non–Executive Director

Appointed a Non–Executive Director in November 2010, Menna Richards was until recently Director BBC Cymru Wales. Her previous executive roles include Controller BBC Cymru Wales, Managing Director, HTV Wales, Director of Broadcasting HTV Group plc. Menna has also been Chair of the Board of Governors, Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and is a former Board member of the Cardiff Bay Development Corporation. She is a director of the Board of Welsh National Opera, and Vice–President of both Cardiff University and the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. Menna was awarded the OBE for services to broadcasting in 2010.

James Strachan Non–Executive Director

Appointed a Non–Executive Director in June 2007. Mr Strachan (57) is a Non–Executive Director of Financial Services Authority, Towergate Insurance Group, JP Morgan Asian Investment Trust plc, Sarasin and Partners LLP and Social Finance Limited. He is a Senior Visiting Fellow in risk and regulation at LSE. Former roles include: Chairman of the Audit Commission, a Non–Executive Director of the Bank of England, Legal and General Group plc and of Care UK plc, a Board member of Ofgem (the energy regulator), chairman of the charity RNID and Executive Board member of Merrill Lynch International.

Anna Walker Non–Executive Director

Appointed a Non Executive Director in March 2011, Anna has a wealth of experience in customer service, policy making and regulation and she has recently completed an independent report commissioned by government into household water charging. She is Chair of the Office of Rail Regulation (the rail regulator) and was, from its creation in April 2004 until March 2009, Chief Executive of the Healthcare Commission, the body responsible for independent regulation of healthcare in the NHS and the private healthcare sector. She was previously Director General, Land Use and Rural Affairs, at Defra, Director General, Energy Group at DTI, and Deputy Director General at Oftel, the telecoms sector regulator. Anna is also a non-executive director of Consumer Focus, the statutory consumer champion body.

John Warren Non–Executive Director

Appointed a Non-Executive Director in May 2012, John is a qualified accountant with more than 25 years experience in finance roles and has extensive experience in chairing Audit Committees of major UK listed companies. Until his retirement in 2005, he was Group Finance Director for WH Smith PLC and, before that, United Biscuits PLC. He is currently the Senior Independent Director and Chairman of the Audit and Risk Committee at Spectris PLC, and a Non Executive Director and Chairman of the Audit Committee for Rank Group PLC and Bovis Homes PLC.