Ůӟó

Chair - Mark Langshaw MBE

Mark was appointed as Chair of the Corporation in August 2018. He is Managing Director of Continental Teves UK Ltd, a significant employer in the Ebbw Vale area which specialises in the manufacture of high-performance engineering components for the automotive industry.

Mark has extensive managerial and business experience and provides the Board with a useful insight into the training needs of the mechanical engineering and automotive industries, as well as the economy of the Blaenau Gwent area. He also serves on the Board of the Welsh Automotive Forum and is Chair of both the Blaenau Gwent Enterprise Board and the Tech Valleys Strategic Advisory Board. Mark also sits on the Welsh Apprenticeship Advisory Board and was previously a member of the European Advisory Group reporting to the Counsel General and Brexit Minister.

Vice Chair - Sue Ball

Sue is passionate about the importance of education, training and effective collaboration to address the skills needs of employers. After a long career in the NHS (which included both clinical and non-clinical roles), she recently retired from her role as Assistant Director of Workforce and Organisational Development at Aneurin Bevan University Health Board. Sue is continuing to engage in consultancy work for the Health Board and chairs fitness to practice hearings at the Nursing & Midwifery Council.

Anthony Basnett

Baz has over 30 years’ experience in electronics engineering. He served for 17 years in HM Forces, joining as an Apprentice Electronics Engineer and rising to the rank of Warrant Officer. Baz is  Director, Solutions Engineer for a large digital technologies company, having previously worked as Head of Systems Engineering at CISCO UK Enterprise. He also sits on the Board of the Power Network Demonstration Centre, which is part of Strathclyde University. Baz Chairs the Board’s Finance & Resources Committee.

Moawia Bin-Sufyan

Moawia works in investments and property development alongside which he fulfils a number of public, charity and voluntary roles. These roles include monitoring health services and prison and detainee conditions and advising on diversity & inclusion. Moawia is also a Justice of the Peace and a Senior Independent Panel Member for Public & Civil Appointments in Wales. He is a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Educators and has received the Freedom of the City of London.

Elizabeth Brimble

Liz is the Link Governor for Safeguarding. Liz gained her own qualifications in the workplace after leaving school at sixteen and is committed to the importance of choice in education and training. She worked her way up into management roles in the financial services sector and spent time as a civilian officer with the Police National Computer Bureau. Liz  recently retired from her role as Director of Qualifications, Registration and Fitness to Practise at the Education Workforce Council. She lives in the Newport area and her children studied at Ůӟó.

Andrew Clark

Andrew brings to the Board a detailed understanding of the FE sector in Wales. With a background in finance and accounting, he recently retired from a long career in Welsh Government where his most recent roles included leading on employability, careers and FE policy. He serves as an independent member of the Audit Wales, Audit & Risk Assurance Committee. Andrew is Governor with responsibility for Information Governance.

Joshua Davies

Joshua was elected as a Student Governor for FE in May 2024. He is studying A Levels in Economics, Business and Maths at Torfaen Learning Zone and is a Class Representative. He has enjoyed organising campaigns and fundraising activities since joining the college and is keen to contribute to improving the learner experience. In his spare time Joshua is a keen runner, competing at a national level.

Delyth Evans

Delyth is a first language Welsh speaker who began her career as a news and current affairs journalist. She went on to work as a political speech writer and later served for three years as an Assembly Member. Delyth has held Chief Executive roles at two charities and works as a policy and strategy consultant. She also serves on the boards of Sport Wales, The Urdd and The Alacrity Foundation, an education charity that provides entrepreneurship training for young tech graduates.

Chris Freegard OBE

Chris first joined the Board of Ůӟó in 2010 and served two terms of office. Following a change in circumstances he re-joined the Board in 2020. He retired from his role as Managing Director of Newport City Council in 2009 and has held a number of Board roles since, including serving as a Trustee of Kaleidoscope, a drugs misuse charity and as a Governor of the University of South Wales until July 2020.

Bailjit Gill

Bal is Senior Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Manager at Companies House. She has worked in the equalities and community cohesion field for over 23 years, including roles in Welsh Government, South Wales Police & Crime Commissioner’s Office, The Equality & Human Rights Commission and The Commission for Racial Equality.  She lives in Newport and was formerly a School Governor as well as a Trustee at Torfaen People First.  Bal has recently taken on the role of Link Governor for Diversity & Inclusion.

John Phelps

John began his career as an apprentice engineer and worked in industry for several years before retraining as a teacher. He worked in education for over thirty years and much of that time was spent in the FE sector. He was Vice Principal at Coleg y Cymoedd for ten years, with responsibility for curriculum and quality development. Since retiring, he has worked as a self-employed educational consultant and adviser. John is Governor with responsibility for Health & Safety.

Matt Preece

Matt has extensive experience in retail management at store and regional level. He is now self-employed as a management consultant and business coach. He provides support with strategic planning and implementation as well as ongoing support and mentoring to SME business owners in the region.

Tim Rathbone

Tim joined the Board in April 2024. He has come full circle, having begun his career as an Apprentice Electrician at the college’s Pontypool Campus in the 1980s. A Chartered Engineer, Tim recently retired from his role as Senior Partner and Director at Hoare Lea & Co, Consultant Engineers. He worked for the company for over 30 years and is now keen to contribute to the success of Ůӟó. He recently also joined the board of Gwent Wildlife Trust and has a strong interest in sustainability. This is also reflected in his love of gardening and the outdoors.

Josephine Rogers

Josephine was elected as a Student Governor for FE in July 2024. They have a strong interest in social justice, psychology and mental health issues and volunteers as a Wellbeing Ambassador for Newport MIND. Josephine is studying A Levels at Crosskeys Campus and is involved in the campus Politics Society. They are optimistic that their role as Student Governor will have a positive impact on the learner experience.

Lizzie Swaffield

Lizzie is Chair of the Curriculum & Quality Committee. She is a fluent Welsh speaker and brings to the Board extensive experience of the public sector, especially partnership working in the education sector. She currently works for an educational charity and has previously held roles at Qualifications Wales, UWTSD, the Heads of the Valleys Education Programme and in local government.

Gareth Watts

Having served as an external Member of the Audit Committee for several years, Gareth joined the Board as a Governor in October 2022. He is an experienced accountancy and audit professional and has worked in both the domestic and international public sector. Gareth is currently Director of Corporate Governance at a large Health Board  having previously worked at the Senedd, Wales Audit Office and the United Nations Board of Audit.  Gareth is also a School Governor and an honorary auditor for the Unitarian Church.

Farishna Chohan-Solanki

Farishna joined us as an External Member of the Audit Committee in April 2023.  She is a Finance Manager at Legal & General with responsibility for areas of risk, control, governance & regulation. She also has experience of working as an auditor, including in the education sector and is co-owner/Director of a family podiatry business.

Marie Carter

Marie has been Governance Officer since June 2015. She is responsible for the day to day operation of the Board, providing it with advice on procedure and policy, organising and recording meetings and record keeping. She also acts as Freedom of Information Officer for the College. Marie has worked at Ůӟó since 2008, previously in learner support and teaching roles. Prior to that she had a career in the Civil Service which included several years as Clerk to a Government advisory committee in London.