Press Releases

Mr Laurence Pavelin has been appointed by the Museum to serve as Treasurer-designate. He is appointed to serve as a Trustee from 1 June 2014 for a term of four years. Subject to the approval of the Board of Trustees, Mr Pavelin will commence as Treasurer on 1 December 2014.

Laurie Pavelin is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. For the last six years he has been an independent Chairman of Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales’ Audit Committee. Formerly the Welsh Government’s Chief Accountant between 1990 and 2005, Laurie was awarded a CBE in 2000 for services to the public sector in Wales.

Dr Carol Bell has been appointed by the Minister to serve as Trustee commencing on 1 June 2014 for a term of four years. After having a successful career of almost 20 years in oil and gas and investment banking, in 2000 she embarked on a plural career which today includes academic archaeology, non-executive directorships of public companies and trusteeships of charities engaged in the educational, cultural and renewable energy sectors. In 2012, she became a member of the Authority that governs S4C, the Welsh language public service broadcaster.

Her business career as a board member of three energy companies takes her all over the world and she is passionate about visiting museums and galleries on her travels. Consequently, she has considerable familiarity with the collections of art, archaeology and ethnography held by the world’s major museums.

Baroness Kay Andrews OBE has also been appointed by the Museum to serve as Trustee commencing on 1 December 2014 for a term of four years. She began her career as a Clerk in the House of Commons, specialising in education and science policy, and, in 1985, became a policy advisor to the then Leader of the Opposition, Lord Kinnock of Bedwellty with special responsibility for education, science and health policy.

In 1992, she became the founding Director of Education Extra, a UK wide charity focused on putting after school learning activities within the reach of every child, and, inter alia, created innovative partnerships with museums. She was awarded the OBE for services to education in 1998, and became a Life Peer in the House of Lords in 2000. She was the first woman Chair of English Heritage from 2009 to 2013.

In 2013, the Welsh Government invited her to undertake a review of culture and heritage in Wales, to determine how, working together, these agendas could bring greater benefits to people living in disadvantaged communities in Wales. The report was launched on 13 March.

It has also been confirmed that four existing trustees have been reappointed. Mr David Beresford Vokes, Professor Tony George Atkins, Dr Keshav Singhal and Ms Victoria Mary Provis (*More information in Notes to Editors). All four reappointments are for a further term of four years, commencing 1 April 2014.

John Griffiths said: “I am pleased to see these new appointments as they will all bring crucial skills to the Board of Trustees. I am delighted that the existing Trustees will continue to serve on the Museum’s Board of Trustees for a further four years. They have each made an invaluable contribution across the whole range of the Museum’s activities”.

Elisabeth Elias said: “I am delighted to welcome Mr Laurence Pavelin, Dr Carol Bell and Baroness Kay Andrews as Trustees of Amgueddfa Cymru. They are highly regarded figures in their respective fields. Their experience and expertise will undoubtedly be of great benefit both to the other Trustees and to Amgueddfa Cymru as an institution. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the rest of the Board for their ongoing commitment, including those who have been re-appointed this year.”

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 appointments made by the Minister and the President of Amgueddfa Cymru have been made in accordance with the Code of Practice of the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments.