NEW FAW EXECUTIVE BOARD SIT FOR INAUGURAL MEETING
About FAW
12 August 2019

NEW FAW EXECUTIVE BOARD SIT FOR INAUGURAL MEETING

The newly established Football Association of Wales Executive Board - including the new Independent Chair and two Independent Directors - met today (Monday 12th August) for the first time at the FAW Headquarters in Cardiff.

The FAW is delighted to announce Steve Dalton OBE as Independent Chair of the FAW and Dr Carol Bell and Tim Naylor as Independent Directors of the FAW, who will bring a variety of experience and special knowledge to the board. 

The important governance reforms and restructure, which has led to the creation of a FAW Executive Board, modernizes and streamlines the way in which decisions are made on Welsh football and FAW business matters. The new board comprises of 11 Directors of the company whose role is to focus on the corporate and business leadership strategy of the association.

Steve Dalton’s primary role as the Independent Chair is to secure good corporate governance for the association, whilst ensuring the Executive Board is in full control of the company’s affairs. Dr Carol Bell and Tim Naylor as Independent Directors will bring independence, impartiality and diverse experience to the Executive Board.

The full list of FAW Executive Board members includes:

  • Independent Chair - Steve Dalton
  • Two Independent Directors - Dr Carol Bell and Tim Naylor
  • FAW President - Kieran O'Connor
  • Three FAW Officers - Steve Williams, Mike Jones and Phil Woosnam
  • Three elected Council Members - David Hinton Jones, Will Lloyd Williams MBE and David Cole
  • FAW CEO - Jonathan Ford

The Football Association of Wales Chief Executive, Jonathan Ford said, “I am very pleased to announce the progressive changes we are making to develop and invest in our game in Wales. The significant advancements to the FAW’s governance structure will ensure decisions are made with the association’s shareholders in mind, which further aligns the FAW more effectively with the structures of FIFA and UEFA”.

Biographies of the new Independent Chair and two Independent Directors can be seen below.

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Steve Dalton OBE

Steve Dalton is a chartered director who has been employed as Managing Director of Sony UK Technology Centre in Pencoed since 2006. Having spent his entire career with Sony, joining the corporation in 1983 as an electronics graduate, Steve has been a key figure in creating and sustaining competitive operations for Sony UK in Wales. Steve has also continued to make significant impact at board level where he looks to focus on the delivery of business sustainability and good company governance, which has been witnessed in Steve’s previous role as FAW non-executive director since 2014. Steve’s further board experience includes; Welsh Government Industry Wales and Welsh Government Education Recovery and Welsh Assembly ICT sector panel member. Steve was awarded an OBE in 2010 for services to industry in Wales, in addition to holding honorary fellowships at Cardiff Metropolitan University, University of Glamorgan and Bridgend College.

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Dr Carol Bell

Following a successful executive career in international investment banking and the oil and gas industry, Dr Carol Bell now divides her time between a portfolio career on public company boards, membership of charity boards in the education and cultural sectors and academic research in Archaeology. Originally from Felindre, Swansea, and a native Welsh speaker, Carol frequently appears on radio and television on Welsh and Economic matters. She is currently Vice President of National Museum Wales, Deputy Chair of the Wales Millennium Centre, a Director of the Development Bank of Wales (whose Investment Committee she chairs) and a member of the Council of Cardiff University. She holds honorary fellowships at Swansea University and the University of Wales Trinity St Davids.

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Tim Naylor

Tim Naylor is a barrister and the Director of Integrity and Regulation at the British Horseracing Authority. Tim was previously a member of the panel of Independent Appeal Chairpersons of the FAW and still sits as a panellist on the RFU Disciplinary Panel. Tim grew up in Dinas Powys and Penarth in South Wales before studying at Harvard University in the US, later returning to work in finance in London and latterly to qualify as a barrister. He practiced at QEB Hollis Whiteman Chambers in London and Apex Chambers in Cardiff. He enjoyed a criminal and professional discipline practice with a specialism in sports regulation. He left the self-employed bar in 2017 to join the British Horseracing Authority as Head of Regulation before being made a Director.

FAW Executive Board sit for inaugural meeting.
FAW Executive Board sit for inaugural meeting.