Press Releases

The newly appointed Vice President is Dr Haydn Edwards. His appointment as Vice President by the Minister for Housing, Regeneration and Heritage will run from 1 October 2011 to 30 September 2015. Dr Edwards is currently a Trustee of the Museum.

Huw Lewis said: "I am very pleased to appoint Dr Haydn Edwards as Vice President of Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales. Dr Edwards has already made a major contribution as Trustee and his skills and experience will, I am sure, make him a real asset to the organisation in his new role."

Mrs Elisabeth Elias, President of Amgueddfa Cymru said: "I very much welcome this appointment and greatly look forward to working with Dr Haydn Edwards as Vice President. Dr Edwards has demonstrated his commitment to the Museum as an existing Trustee and already proved what a valuable amount of experience and wisdom he has to bring to the work of the Board. We are fortunate that he is willing to assume the added responsibility of the Vice Presidency."

Dr Haydn Edwards is the Former Principal and Chief Executive of Coleg Menai, one of Wales's leading further education colleges. His Doctorate was in the field of biochemistry and radiation, and he spent three years in the 1970s as research fellow in the University of Notre Dame, Indiana, before becoming a Senior Research Scientist at the North East Wales Institute. He was successively Principal of Coleg Pencraig and then Gwynedd Technical College before assuming his role in Coleg Menai in 1994. He has held a number of public appointments including membership of ELWa and the New Deal Group for Wales. Currently he is a Non-Executive Director with Estyn and also holds a Ministerial appointment as Chair of the Welsh Government's Food and Farming Sector Panel for which he receives no remuneration. Dr Edwards also brings extensive knowledge of education in Wales and a wide range of interests relevant to the Museum's work.

ENDS

For more information, please contact Non Jones on 029 2089 8490 or Kate James on 029 2089 8169

Notes to editors

 Appointment process

Appointment by the Minister for Housing, Regeneration and Heritage of Dr Haydn Edwards as Vice President is for a period of 4 years. Subject to the wishes of a trustee and satisfactory performance of the role, a further period of appointment of 4 years may be normally offered. However, as Dr Haydn Edwards has served as Trustee from 1 November 2007, four years is the maximum term that he can serve as Vice President.

Members of the Board are not paid, but are reimbursed for reasonable travel and subsistence costs. Four Board meetings are held annually and Trustees are also expected to serve on sub committees.

The National Museum of Wales was established by Royal Charter in 1907, and continues to be registered as a legal entity and charity under this name. As an independent registered charity, core funding is received through grant-in-aid from the Welsh Government as a Welsh Government Sponsored Body.

The Museum's core objective is 'the advancement of the education of the public' by developing, caring for, studying and sustaining access to the collections for the benefit of society in perpetuity. The Charter states that this is to be achieved 'primarily by the complete illustration of the geology, mineralogy, zoology, botany, ethnography, archaeology, art, history and special industries of Wales by the collection, conservation, elucidation, presentation and publication of all such objects and things'.

Under the 2006 supplementary Charter, the Museum has 16 Trustees. The Welsh Ministers appoint nine Trustees, including the President and the Vice President. The Museum's Board of Trustees appoint seven Trustees including the Treasurer. The Welsh Government and Museum work in consultation with each other when making all appointments.

The appointment made by the Minister of the Vice President has been made in accordance with the Code of Practice of the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

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 the political activity of appointees (if any declared) to be published. Dr Haydn Edwards declared that he had undertaken no political activity in the past five years.