- By Matt Lloyd
- ` Sport Wales
8 minutes ago
image source, Huw Evans photo agency
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Abi Tierney, the WRU's first female chief executive, will take up her post in January
From 2024, a new Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) board will be appointed to run the national game.
After a series of scandals this year, the governing body has redesigned the game's top level.
A damning report found aspects of the WRU's culture to be sexist, racist, misogynistic and homophobic.
Two-thirds of the board has changed, now including five women and twice the number of independent members, as well as three former players.
But who are the people behind the scenes who are responsible for our national game?
The WRU board consists of 12 directors.
Professional Rugby Board (PRB) chairman Malcolm Wall, John Manders, Colin Wilks and Chris Jones are the only members who were on the WRU board at the start of 2023.
Previously it was dominated by members elected to their position by clubs, although for many, including former chairman Ieuan Evans, this imbalance was part of the problem, with the board labeled “archaic”.
After a series of controversies that began with a ` Wales Investigates program in January, the modernization plans were given the green light at an extraordinary general meeting.
Chief executive Steve Phillips resigned before an independent review later found that aspects of the WRU's culture were sexist, misogynistic, racist and homophobic and had not been adequately challenged.
Employees described the environment as “toxic,” the company’s leadership was not fit for purpose and the board was dysfunctional and ill-equipped to address serious cultural issues.
However, the WRU believes this move has brought in more expertise while achieving its gender diversity ambitions.
The number of independent directors has increased from three to six, while the clubs' elected members have decreased from eight to four.
Richard Collier-Keywood (Chairman)
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“We need to be clear about what is acceptable and what is unacceptable behavior”
With family roots in Maesteg, Bridgend County, he was a senior advisor to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and chairman of Fair4All Finance. He is also a board member of the National Community Lottery Fund and Women of the World, which work to promote international gender equality.
Abi Tierney (Managing Director)
Became the WRU's first female chief executive in August 2023 when she replaced Phillips.
Tierney has been director general of HM Passport Office and UK Visas and Immigration for the past three years.
Prior to entering public service, Tierney was director of business development at Serco Health, where she also held operational roles including regional director and executive director 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
The first appointment of the newly designed board to INED took place in June 2023.
With a commercial background in the retail sector, Thorne is Chairman of the National Dance Company Wales, Chairman of Barcud Housing Association and Governor of Cardiff Metropolitan University, as well as a Welsh Government Public Appointments Panel Member.
She is a former board member of Sport Wales and former chair of the then leading equality organization Chwarae Teg.
Her father Tony was born in Penarth and was a groundsman at the former National Stadium in Cardiff in the 1970s and 1980s.
Jamie Roberts
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Jamie Roberts won three Six Nations titles with Wales
The former player turned pundit is perhaps the most recognizable figure on the board, having played 94 times for Wales, including three Six Nations titles and a World Cup semi-final.
He was twice a British and Irish Lions tourist, was named player of the series in 2009 and won the series in Australia four years later.
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 a member of the Lions Trust. He joined the WRU board in November 2023.
Amanda Bennett
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Former player Amanda Bennett was involved in an independent review of the WRU women's program.
A rugby pioneer, Bennett was the first woman to don the red number 10 jersey in Wales' first Test match against England in 1987.
She won 26 caps, including the first Women's World Cup in 1991 and four years later, as well as three appearances for Great Britain.
She was appointed Wales coach between 1998 and 2000 before a decade in charge of Saracens and being part of the England 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 organizations across the UK.
In 2013 she founded her own governance and leadership company, FairPlay Ltd, which has worked with companies such as the Premier League, Irish Rugby Football Union and Swim Wales.
Colin Wilks
Since joining the board in 2019, Wilks has spent almost 50 years in rugby, as a player, referee, coach and administrator at Risca.
The retired engineer worked in the mining and metals industries and was re-elected to the WRU board in December.
Jennifer Mathias
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Jennifer Mathias lives in Tenby, Pembrokeshire
Banker Mathias, born and raised on a family farm in Pembrokeshire, is chief financial officer of Rathbones Group, having held a number of high-profile positions in banking.
She began her career at Lloyds TSB Finance before moving to Coutts and then EFG Private Bank before moving to Rathbones in 2019.
Mathias was appointed to the WRU board in November.
Andrew Williams
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Andrew Williams was hailed as “the best CEO you’ve never heard of” by the Sunday Times earlier this year
Williams was one of the longest-serving chief executives in the FTSE 100 until he retired in March after 18 years as head of Halma plc.
Cardiff-born engineer Williams is credited with overhauling the leadership and culture of the global group of life-saving technology companies. He is also a former board member of Cardiff Rugby.
Williams continues to serve on the board of the Natural History Museum, which he joined in 2021, and is a founding patron of Global Welsh.
Malcolm Wall
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Wall was involved in negotiations with Welsh players who threatened to go on strike during the 2022 Six Nations
Wall began his media career at Southern, Anglia and then Granada Television before becoming deputy managing director of Meridian Broadcasting in the early 1990s.
He then led multinational media company United Business Media for four years, before heading Virgin Media's content business for three years and serving as chairman of UKTV.
Chris Jones
The longest serving board member, originally appointed as a district council member in 2018.
Jones is a founding member of Newcastle Emlyn RFC and has served as secretary since its inception in 1977, as well as a former player, captain and coach.
He also coached the Welsh Schools Intermediate (U16) international side and was Chairman of the Intermediate Group and Schools Council.
After teaching PE for 35 years before retiring in 2010, he was re-elected to the WRU board in December.
Claire Donovan
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Claire Donovan played 75 times for Wales
A former Wales international second row, Donovan began her career with Cardiff Quins before appearing in two World Cups and spending the majority of her career with Saracens.
An experienced director in the food industry, including one of Europe's largest lettuce producers, she is the owner of Technical Consulting and has worked as a lobbyist for the horticulture industry.
She was a member of the cross-party government working group that led to the Gangmasters (Licensing) Act 2004, which changed the law governing the treatment and protection of seasonal workers.
Donovan was previously a member of the WRU National Council before being elected to the board by the clubs in December.
John Manders
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John Manders is chairman of Cardiff club Old Illtydians
A former South Wales Police corporal, he played in the Wales youth team and toured South Africa in 1980. He then played for Cardiff, Newport and Pontypridd.
After leaving the police force he continued to work as a law lecturer at the University of South Wales and as artistic director at Tickledom Theatrical Productions.
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