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SIR EMYR JONES PARRY APPOINTED NEW CHAIR OF WALES MILLENNIUM CENTRE |
After completion of three successive terms, totalling over nine years, Lord Rowe-Beddoe is stepping down as Chairman of Wales Millennium Centre. Today he announced his successor as Sir Emyr Jones Parry, who will take over the Chair in January 2011.In 2007 Sir Emyr was appointed Chairman of the All Wales Convention to spearhead the debate on the legislative powers of the National Assembly for Wales. He submitted his report to the Welsh Assembly Government in November 2009. Before retiring from the Foreign Office in 2007 Sir Emyr had a distinguished career as a diplomat and served as Permanent Representative to NATO in Brussels as well as the Permanent Representative of the UK to the United Nations in New York. He chaired the Security Council of the UN for four terms, as well as EU meetings during five UK Presidencies between 1982 and 2005. Since his retirement from the FCO, Sir Emyr has been committed to giving something back to the country that ‘forged’ him. He was appointed President of The University of Aberystwyth in 2008 and also Chair of the Open University’s International Advisory Board, which supports the global development of the school. A native of Carmarthenshire, Sir Emyr Jones Parry was educated at Ysgol Ramadeg y Gwendraeth, Cardiff University and St Catharine’s College Cambridge. Unusually, he describes himself an ‘atypical Welshman’ in that he does not sing and cannot play any musical instrument. ‘That make me appreciate the arts all the more’ he said, ‘and I enjoy a range of art forms, not just music’ ‘Wales Millennium Centre, he added, ‘is one of the millennium’s great successes and an enduring monument which promotes the best of Wales on an international stage. I am now very much looking forward to leading and guiding the Board and the Executive in the implementation of the Centre’s ambitious five year strategic plan, which will consolidate further its local, national and international reputation.’ In announcing the appointment Lord Rowe-Beddoe said ‘I am delighted that we have been able to appoint someone of Sir Emyr’s calibre, with his significant international links and his impeccable record in chairing and negotiating skills. Since returning to Wales he has already made a huge contribution to public life. As Chair of the All Wales Convention he travelled the length and breadth of Wales for two years gathering evidence from people of all ages, and earned the respect of politicians across all parties at a local and national level. In his role as President of The University of Aberystwyth he has already helped secure £23m of public funding for the launch of the new Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences. I am confident that Sir Emyr will steer Wales Millennium Centre through the next phase in its evolution with immense skill, assuring its future as an international arts centre of which all the people of Wales can be justly proud’. At his final Board Meeting in the chair last week, Lord Rowe-Beddoe’s fellow trustees appointed him Life President of Wales Millennium Centre. In this capacity his depth of experience and expertise will remain available to the Board and executives. Deputy Chairman Huw Tregelles Williams will assume the role of Chairman until the end of the year. Under his leadership continuity will be ensured during this period of transition with an incoming Chief Executive and Chairman-designate. Sir Emyr will join the Board of trustees in September prior to the commencement of his appointment. Lord Rowe-Beddoe said, ‘I am not severing my links with the Centre. I was appointed to my role in 2001 and have seen this wonderful project emerge since before it was a hole in the ground. It has been an enormous privilege to lead its development over these years to where we are today, with a Centre which brings so much enjoyment to so many people and which is lauded by arts venues across the world, as well as by national and international producers. I know I am leaving the management of the Centre in good hands, with a wonderful team - both staff and trustees – and with two excellent appointments in Sir Emyr and Mark Taylor, our recently announced Chief Executive’. |
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Tuesday, May 18, 2010 |
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