When and why did you join the Swans Trust Board?
I grew up in Swansea and have supported the Swans all my life, through the good years and difficult times. I first stood for election to the Trust Board in 2018 to use my professional experience to help secure the best possible outcomes for the Trust in dealing with the complex shareholding dispute that arose from the sale of the club in 2016. The dispute was settled out-of-court in early 2022 following successful negotiations that resulted in an improved Shareholders’ Agreement and a reset of relationships with the majority ownership group. This has enabled the Trust to move forward constructively since 2022 in fulfilling its purpose and objectives.
What is your role at the Trust?
As Vice Chair I continue to use my knowledge and experience to (a) ensure the Trust continues to effectively fulfil its role as the credible and influential voice of supporters to the majority owners and club staff, (b) monitor the club’s finances and risk management through regular engagement with club senior leaders, and (c) ensure the Trust effectively uses and strongly defends its rights and protections. I currently lead the Legal & Shareholding and Finance & Accounts subgroups of the Trust Board and am a member of the Comms & PR subgroup. In past years I have been a member of the Membership & Fundraising and Governance subgroups.
What are your views on the future and how will you support that?
It is important that the Trust continues to adapt and evolve its approach as new ownership models emerge, in line with the realities of football in the current era, while remaining focused on the Trust’s purpose and objectives. This will be an area of particular attention for me during the current board cycle. Continuing to improve communications and engagement with Trust members and the broader fan base, in particular with younger supporters, is vital for the Trust to remain credible and effective in representing the interests of all Swans supporters.
