Chambers Wales South East, South West and Mid has welcomed eight new business professionals to its board in advisory roles. These voluntary roles will focus on strengthening the Chambers’ policy development to further support economic growth in Wales.
Dr Fiona Withey brings a wealth of international experience to the Chamber and takes the lead as its International Trade Chair. Co-founder and CEO of TrakCel, a leading provider of software for companies within the gene and cell therapy supply chain, she has more than 30 years’ experience in leadership roles within the pharma sector. She is also chair of Medi Wales and is an expert in international trade and export.
The new Policy Chair is Rhys Williams. As regional director for NatWest Cymru, Rhys is very well connected with the Welsh business community and has led political engagement for the bank. Rhys will support the Chamber in establishing a senior leaders’ network and help advise on policy issues.
The Chamber’s new Business Growth Chair is Lucy Bulley. Lucy has set up, scaled, and sold several successful businesses and is passionate about helping Welsh startups succeed. She is a commercial growth consultant and was also the Programme Director for the 2025 FinTech Wales Foundry.
Joining as Business Networking Chair is Emma Waddingham. Emma is the founder and editor of Legal News Wales and is currently the first non-lawyer to be president of the Cardiff and District Law Society.
John Cullen is the Chamber’s new Social Value Chair. John is a Partner at Menzies, in its restructuring and insolvency team, and is responsible for the firm’s UK-wide equity, inclusion and social value initiatives. John skills will help guide Chamber policy to support members with their social and community engagement.
Founder and CEO of iungo solutions, a training centre for priority sectors, Jessica Leigh Jones MBE joins as Skills and Education Chair. An inventor and engineer, Jessica has held various senior advisory roles including at the Institute of Apprenticeships and the Engineering Education Scheme Wales. She also runs iungo works, a co-working space in Cardiff. Jess will help shape the Chamber’s efforts around pathways from education to employment.
Louise Dow joins the advisory board as its new Construction and Sustainability Chair. As Business Lead for Wales and the south west for SLR, a leading global environmental and sustainability consultancy, she has an extensive technical background in construction and infrastructure. Louise will help the Chamber focus on construction, housing and planning issues.
The Chamber’s new Not for Profit Chair is Tom Wilkinson. Chair of the YMCA Cardiff, and operations director at housing association Barcud, Tom is also a risk and governance specialist at Astari and brings with him extensive executive level experience. Tom is going to be helping the Chamber with collaboration between the public, private and not for profit sectors.
Dr Fiona Withy, Lucy Bulley, Emma Waddingham and John Cullen have also joined the Board as non-executive directors. Stalwarts of the Chamber Board remain, including Acuity Law Partner Rachelle Sellek, Partner at Bevan Buckland Harri Lloyd-Davies and Liz Maher OBE.
Liz, who is a past President of the Chamber, said: “The Chambers Wales team directly connect across all sectors that seek to promote success in Wales, for all in Wales, those that look to start a business, those that want to grow their businesses and those that look to provide the training to ensure Wales has a community with the requisite skills to achieve success.
“The ability to attract such an amazing cohort of such experienced people to help guide Chamber policy in our support of members is evidence of the depth of expertise and diversity of sector experience we have in Wales. It’s a delight to welcome them and to thank them as well for their commitment as volunteers, in supporting our continued focus, as a Chamber of Commerce, to the success of Wales as an economy and community.”
Chambers Wales CEO Gus Williams said of the new advisory members: “We have put together a strong team and I’m excited about how we can really help to support business growth and economic development in Wales.
“The expertise, knowledge and enthusiasm they bring is second to none. Add that to the experience and commitment we already have from our incumbent board members, and I believe we house the perfect combination to serve our members and champion Welsh businesses, big and small.”