Welsh rugby: Who sits on the WRU board?
- Published
Abi Tierney, the first female WRU chief executive, will take her post in January
A new-look Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) board to run the national game will be in place for 2024.
The governing body has revamped the top level of the game following a series of scandals this year.
A damning report found aspects of the WRU's culture were sexist, racist, misogynistic and homophobic.
Two-thirds of the board has changed, to include five women and twice the number of independent members as well as three former players.
But who are the people behind the scenes in charge of our national game?
The WRU board is made up of 12 directors.
Malcolm Wall, chair of the Professional Rugby Board (PRB), John Manders, Colin Wilks and Chris Jones are the only members who were on the WRU board at the beginning of 2023.
Previously it was dominated by members voted into position by the clubs, though for many, including former chairman Ieuan Evans, that imbalance was part of the problem with the board branded "archaic".
Modernisation plans were given the go-ahead at an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) following a series of controversies that began with a BBC Wales Investigates programme in January.
Chief executive Steve Phillips resigned before an independent review later found aspects of the WRU's culture were sexist, misogynistic, racist and homophobic and not properly challenged.
Employees described the environment as "toxic", governance was not fit for purpose and the board described as dysfunctional and ill-equipped to address serious culture problems.
However, the WRU believes the move has brought in more professional expertise while also realising its gender diversity ambitions.
The number of independent directors has risen from three to six with elected members from clubs dropping from eight to four.
So, these are the senior figures, external at the helm.
Richard Collier-Keywood (chair)
'We need to be clear what is acceptable and unacceptable behaviour'
The ex-global vice-chair of PwC became the union's first non-elected chair when he joined as independent non-executive director (INED) in July.
With family roots in Maesteg, Bridgend county, he has been a senior adviser to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and chairs Fair4All Finance and is a board member of the National Community Lottery Fund and Women of the World, promoting international gender equality.
Abi Tierney (chief-executive)
Became the WRU's first female chief executive when she replaced Phillips in August 2023.
Tierney has been director general of the HM Passport Office and UK Visas and Immigration for the past three years.
Before joining the Civil Service, Tierney was business development director at Serco Health, where she also held operational roles, including Regional Director and Chief Executive of Suffolk Community Services.
Her father, from Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, played rugby for Glamorgan Wanderers and Barry and she described the WRU appointment as an "immense privilege".
Alison Thorne
Was the first appointment of the new-look board as an INED in June 2023.
With a commercial background in the retail sector, Thorne is chair of the National Dance Company Wales, chair of Barcud Housing Association and a governor at Cardiff Metropolitan University as well as a panel member for public appointments for Welsh Government.
She is a former board member of Sport Wales and formerly chair of the then leading equality charity Chwarae Teg.
Born in Penarth, her father Tony was a groundsman at the former National Stadium in Cardiff during the 1970s and 1980s.
Jamie Roberts
Jamie Roberts won three Six Nations titles with Wales
The former player turned pundit is perhaps the most recognisable figure on the board, having played 94 times for Wales including three Six Nations titles and a World Cup semi-final.
Twice a British and Irish Lions tourist, he was named player of the series in 2009 and was a series winner four year later in Australia.
Roberts' rugby career has crossed continents, from Cardiff to Paris with Racing 92, England with Bath and Harlequins, South Africa with Stormers and Australia with the Waratahs, as well as Cambridge University and Dragons.
A qualified doctor, he is a player representative on the World Rugby High-Performance Committee and sits on the Lions Trust. He joined the WRU board in November 2023.
Amanda Bennett
Former player Amanda Bennett was involved in an independent review of the WRU Women's programme.
A rugby pioneer, Bennett was the first woman to pull on the red number 10 jersey in Wales' first women's Test match, against England in 1987.
She went on to win 26 caps, including the first Women's World Cup in 1991 and again four years later, as well as three appearances for Great Britain.
She was appointed Wales coach between 1998 and 2000 before leading Saracens for a decade and was part of England's coaching team for the 2006 World Cup.
Bennett led the development of UK Sport's equality standard in 2004, which has been implemented by more than 400 organisations across the UK.
In 2013 she launched her own governance and leadership company FairPlay Ltd which has worked with the likes of Premier League, Irish Rugby Football Union and Swim Wales.
Colin Wilks
Having joined the Board in 2019, Wilks has spent nearly 50 years in rugby, as a player, referee, coach and administrator with Risca.
The retired engineer worked in the mining and metals industry and was re-elected to the WRU board in December.
Jennifer Mathias
Jennifer Mathias lives in Tenby, Pembrokeshire
Born and raised in Pembrokeshire on a family farm, banker Mathias is chief financial officer at Rathbones Group following a series of high profile positions in banking.
She began her career at Lloyds TSB Finance before joining Coutts and then EFG Private Bank before moving to Rathbones in 2019.
Mathias was appointed to the WRU board in November.
Andrew Williams
Andrew Williams was hailed "the best CEO you've never heard of" by the Sunday Times earlier this year
The ex-tech company boss Andrew Williams was the final independent non-executive director to be appointed, in November.
Williams was among the longest-serving chief executives in the FTSE 100 until he retired as head of Halma plc in March after 18 years.
Born in Cardiff, chartered engineer Williams was credited with overhauling the leadership and culture of the global group of life-saving technology companies, and is also a former board member at Cardiff Rugby.
Williams continues to serve on the Natural History Museum board, which he joined in 2021, and is a founding patron of Global Welsh.
Malcolm Wall
Wall was involved in negotiations with Wales players threatening to strike during the 2022 Six Nations
The former Harlequins chairman replaced Amanda Blanc as chair of the Professional Rugby Board (PRB) in 2022, granting him a place on the board as well.
Wall began his media career at Southern, Anglia and then Granada Television before becoming deputy chief executive of Meridian Broadcasting in the early 1990s.
He went on to lead the multinational media company United Business Media over a four-year period before running Virgin Media's content business for three years as well as serving as chairman of UKTV.
Chris Jones
The longest-serving member of the board, having been originally appointed in 2018 as a district council member.
A founding member of Newcastle Emlyn RFC, Jones has served as secretary since its formation in 1977 - as well as being a past player, captain and coach.
He also coached the Welsh Schools Intermediate (Under-16s) International side and chaired the Intermediate Group and the Schools Council.
Having taught PE for 35 years before his retirement in 2010, he was re-elected to the WRU board in December.
Claire Donovan
Claire Donovan played 75 times for Wales
A former Wales international second-row, Donovan began her career with Cardiff Quins before going to appear at two World Cups and spending the majority of her career at Saracens.
An experienced director in the food industry, including one of the largest salad producers in Europe, she owns Technical Consulting and has worked as a lobbyist for the horticultural industry.
She was a member of the all-party government working group which lead to the Gangmasters (Licencing) Act 2004 which changed the law on how seasonal workers are treated and protected.
Donovan previously served on the WRU's National Council before being elected by clubs to the board in December.
John Manders
John Manders is chairman of Cardiff-club Old Illtydians
A former sergeant with South Wales Police, he was capped by Wales at youth level and toured South Africa in 1980. He went on to play for Cardiff, Newport and Pontypridd.
After retiring from the police, he has continued to work as a law lecturer at the University of South Wales, and artistic director at Tickledom Theatrical Productions.
He was elected chairman of the community game board in November 2022, in place of departing Rob Butcher, which brought with it a place on the board and was re-elected in December 2023.