University of Wales Council Members

A graduate of the University of Wales (Bangor) and UWTSD, Emlyn Dole had an early career in the Baptist ministry and in the arts before becoming an elected County Councillor. He served for seven years as the Leader of Carmarthenshire County Council where he was responsible for the Council’s corporate vision and strategy. He was one of the main architects of the Swansea Bay City Deal along with the Council’s success in attracting Levelling Up funding from the UK Government. He is a trustee of the Baptist Union of Wales and continues to work part-time as a self-employed minister.
Professor Elwen Evans, KC, is Vice-Chancellor of the University of Wales and the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD).

Professor Evans read Law at Girton College, Cambridge, graduating with a double first: M.A. (Cantab). On graduating she attended the Inns of Court School of Law and was called to the Bar by Gray’s Inn in 1980. She was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2002.

Professor Evans has enjoyed a very successful career as a barrister, choosing to practise mainly in Wales. She has undertaken a wide range of legal work, specialising in criminal law at trial and appellate levels. Her work has included many serious, complex, sensitive, and high-profile cases such as leading the prosecution team in the April Jones case and the defence team in the Gleision mine disaster case. She sits as a Crown Court Recorder having been appointed in 2001. She was Head of Iscoed Chambers for over 15 years prior to her appointment as Head of the College of Law and Criminology at Swansea University in 2015 where she was responsible for establishing the Hillary Rodham Clinton School of Law. In 2020, she was appointed Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Executive Dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences and is credited with having led the successful growth of the Faculty during this period. Her portfolio also included strategic leadership of the University’s civic mission activities and the successful development of the University’s relationships with key partners, including alumni and donors.

A native Welsh speaker, she is a Bencher of her Inn, has been honoured by Gorsedd y Beirdd for her services to Law in Wales and was a Commissioner on the Commission on Justice in Wales. She has served on a wide range of external bodies and committees reflecting her areas of professional experience and interest. In 2018, she was included in the top 10 of a list celebrating 100 of Wales’ most inspirational women.
Justin Albert OBE has been Director of National Trust Cymru since 2011. He has a legal background and significant experience in commercial and not-for-profit leadership in conservation, education and cultural organisations. His previous roles have included board membership of Visit Wales and the Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies and advisor to the Cabinet Minister for Economy and Transport. His current roles include Vice-President of the Hay Festival, Trustee of Farms for City Children and governor of the Royal School of Ballet.

As well as his law degree, he has an Honorary degree from the University of Wales. He is a UK and US dual citizen.
Born and educated in Carmarthen, Timothy Llewelyn has a banking background. He held senior managerial positions at Lloyds Bank until 2018, most recently as Regional Operations Manager for Wales and West Region. He now holds a number of non-executive positions: he is currently Chair of Bro Myrddin Housing Association; a Lay member of the Governing Body of the Church in Wales and Chair of its Standing Committee; Vice Chair of the St David’s Diocesan Board of Finance; and Treasurer of St Peter’s Church, Carmarthen.
Arwel Ellis Owen OBE is Chair of Social Care Wales. He is also Chair of the Directors of Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies and Chair of the Friends of the Living Room. He joined the BBC on graduating in International Politics from University College Wales, Aberystwyth, and was Editor of News and Current Affairs Wales before being appointed Head of Programmes BBC Northern Ireland.

After winning the first Guardian Research Fellowship at Nuffield College Oxford, he left to establish his own independent media company, Cambrensis Communications. He left the broadcasting and media family business to become the interim CEO of S4C and Vice President of the National Library of Wales. He is a frequent broadcaster on Anglo Irish affairs, an author, a Churchill Fellow and a Fellow of Aberystwyth University.
Nigel Roberts has a banking background and held managerial positions at Midland/HSBC Bank until 2010, most recently as Head of Commercial Banking for West Wales. He now works as a consultant for Clay Shaw Butler, Chartered Accountants and holds a number of non-executive positions within the Diocese of St Davids. Other current roles include Chair of Governors at the Model Church in Wales Primary School and Trustee of Carmarthen Family Centres. He is also a member of the Loans Panel for Social Investment Cymru.
Brought up and educated in Wales, Elizabeth Siberry worked as a civil servant in London: as a departmental HR Director from 2003-08 and Director of the Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure from 2008-11. She now has a portfolio of the public sector and charity Trustee roles: in addition to her University Council membership, she is a Trustee of the National Library of Wales, the Brecknock Society and Brecknock Arts Trust, and the Gregynog Trust.

She studied history in London and Cambridge and was awarded a PhD in 1982. She continues to write and publish as a historian, working on aspects of medieval history and the history of Brecknockshire and is a member of the Editorial Board of the journal Brycheiniog. She was awarded an OBE in 1997.
Deris Williams

An Honorary Fellow of the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, Deris Williams was Director of Menter Cwm Gwendraeth for almost twenty years prior to her retirement in 2015. She has also worked extensively in the voluntary sector, including as a school governor, a community councillor and as a member of the Local Health Board. She was the General Secretary of the Carmarthenshire Urdd National Eisteddfod and the Carmarthenshire National Eisteddfod.

She currently works in a freelance capacity as a Lay Inspector for Estyn and is a regular contributor to the S4C programme ‘Prynhawn Da’ and to various programmes on Radio Cymru. She is also Chair of Hanfod Cymru, the registered charity which distributes grants to community groups on behalf of Loteri Cymru.
Iwan Thomas is the current Chair of the Governing Body at Pembrokeshire College. He is the Chief Executive of PLANED, a regional community development charity working across West Wales and an Independent Member of Hywel Dda University Health Board.

In addition, Iwan serves in a voluntary capacity on a number of key bodies and organisations, including as a member of the Third Sector Partnership Council for Wales, a Director of Visit Pembrokeshire and the Chair of St Mary’s Llanllwch Church Council. In his spare time he supports a number of community organisations with fundraising and activities.
Geraint Evans MBE has been the Chair of Cardiff and the Vale College Corporation since 2011. He is a lawyer who has spent over twenty years working as a managing director of a retail company. He has run several successful businesses and worked in several voluntary positions in the business and education sectors serving local communities across Cardiff and the Vale.

Until recently, he was the Chair of Business in Focus – the business and enterprise support company where he remains a director. He is the Vice-Chair of the Governors of Ysgol Gymraeg Bro Morgannwg, after spending twelve years as Chair. He is a keen sports fan, particularly rugby and cricket, and has played for the MCC in the past.

Appointed by Staff

Dr Stuart Robb

Stuart Robb joined the University of Wales in 2012, having held posts in administration, teaching, and pastoral care at a number of other universities. While at the University of Wales, Stuart has taken lead roles in the management of transnational partnerships, quality assurance, institutional policy and regulation, and academic enhancement.

He was appointed Head of Collaborative Partnerships (Partnership Relations) in 2018 and leads in this area for both the University of Wales and University of Wales Trinity Saint David. He has a doctorate in Musicology.