Welsh National Opera expands board

Welsh National Opera's (WNO) Board has announced four new Board members. 

Among them is HARRIET FEILDING, Chartered Accountant and former Finance Director at English National Opera. She is presently Chief Financial Officer for a group of companies preserving and operating a range of heritage railway assets.

She has held various non-executive roles at arts and heritage organisations, including her current role as Vice-Chair and Treasurer at Wiltshire Music Centre Trust.

PAUL HUGHES also joins the Board. He is the former Director of the BBC Singers and the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Chorus. Under his directorship, the ensembles toured internationally and undertook various education and audience development projects.

Since stepping down from the BBC, Hughes has mentored young conductors, composers and arts administrators and works as Director of Programming and Mentoring for Lead Foundation in Finland.

Another appointee is GERALLT JONES, Partner and Head of Corporate and Commercial at law firm Hugh James, with clients including the Welsh Government, Welsh Rugby Union and Prince's Gate Water. Before this, he worked in London and Hong Kong for 12 years with the firms Slaughter and May and Freshfields. 

Joining Jones is KENON MAN, who has worked on and offstage with the Young Vic, Royal and Derngate Theatre, Wales Millenium Centre and National Youth Arts Wales. 

Now working in higher education, he is the Deputy Director of Marketing and Study Recruitment at Imperial College London.

Chair of WNO YVETTE VAUGHAN JONES commented: "The knowledge and skills they bring with them will help to shape the future of the Company as we look to bring together more people to experience the power of opera and the extensive community work that we provide throughout Wales and beyond.  

“Along with the rest of the Board, I look forward to working closely with them as we move forward.”