Trustee Appointments
The successful conclusion of the Gregynog Trustee recruitment campaign was an important milestone not only for the estate itself, but for the broader role that thoughtful, values-led leadership plays in shaping the future of cultural institutions.
Gregynog is no ordinary organisation. Set within 750 acres of historic landscape in the heart of Wales, it represents a rare combination of heritage, arts, education, and environmental stewardship. Its legacy, rooted in the vision of Gwendoline and Margaret Davies, philanthropists who championed social, economic, educational and cultural initiatives in Wales and beyond. Their idealism and generosity had a remarkable impact on the cultural and intellectual life of Wales, which is still with us today. Gregynog has always been about access to culture, to nature, and to ideas. A vision now being reimagined for a new generation, with a clear focus on sustainability, relevance, and long-term impact.
“The Hiring Dept. provided excellent research, guidance and support throughout our Trustee and Executive recruitment campaigns. Identifying suitable candidates aligned with our needs, resulting in sound appointments the first time and supporting us at each and every stage.
Philip’s due diligence meant we could appoint with confidence, and we therefore would have no hesitation in recommending Philip and The Hiring Dept. for the quality of service they deliver.”
Carole-Anne Davies, Chair of The Gregynog Trust
The brief for this campaign was both straightforward and demanding: identify and appoint Trustees capable of helping guide Gregynog through its next phase of development. This meant strengthening the Board’s collective capability across finance, governance, estate management, and cultural programming, while also bringing in new perspectives and diverse voices.
But as is often the case with leadership appointments, the technical criteria only tells part of the story. The real challenge lies in finding individuals who not only bring expertise, but who also understand the responsibility of stewardship, people able to balance conservation with progress, and ambition with care.
Throughout the process, what stood out was the depth and quality of interest sourced from candidates across sectors. From experienced non-executives to first-time trustees, there was a shared recognition that Gregynog represents something distinctive: a place where culture, community, and environment intersect in meaningful ways. That breadth of engagement speaks both to the strength of the opportunity and to the growing appetite for purpose-driven governance roles.
The success of the campaign resulted in the appointment of four exceptional trustees.
Wildlife Trust, CEO: CEO of a charity managing 60 Nature Reserves across 1300 acres, running landscape and species recovery projects across a significant shire county, working with people in communities, engaging, inspiring and educating them about wildlife and benefiting from 7,000
members and 200 volunteers.
Museum of Wales, Former Director: A Former Director who held responsibility for diverse portfolios, most recently focusing on visitor experience, heritage, technical and craft skills, access and operations and leading the sustainability and decarbonisation strategy across their seven museums and collection centre.
Farming Consultant: An individual with significant farming and agricultural experience, who heads her own livestock consultancy business and who brings significant board-level experience in both the public and private sectors, including 10 years serving on the UK Government Farm Animal Welfare Council.
Historic House & Park, CEO: CEO of an independent charitable trust responsible for preserving, maintaining and opening to the public the 1,000-acre estate and a director of the Foundation’s commercial trading subsidiary, which generates income through hospitality, events, accommodation, weddings and tourism to support the charity’s conservation and educational work.
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