Chairs and Speakers

Rebecca Evans was first elected to the National Assembly for Wales in May 2011 to represent the Mid and West Wales region. In 2016 she became Assembly Member for Gower.

Rebecca received a degree in History from the University of Leeds, and a Master of Philosophy degree in Historical Studies from Sidney Sussex College, University of Cambridge. Before being elected, Rebecca worked in the third sector.

In June 2014, Rebecca was appointed Deputy Minister for Farming and Food, and in May 2016 she became Minister for Social Services and Public Health. In November 2017, she was appointed Minister for Housing and Regeneration, and in December 2018 she joined the Cabinet as Minister for Finance and Trefnydd. On 13 May 2021 Rebecca was appointed Minister for Finance and Local Government. On 21 March 2024, Rebecca was appointed Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Constitution & Cabinet Office.

Rebecca was appointed Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning on 11 September 2024.

George is a Chartered Environmentalist and Environmental Engineer specialising in flood risk management, flood risk and planning policy, flood modelling, survey management, and the design, selection and implementation of flood alleviation schemes. In his over 20 years of consultancy experience, he has worked extensively for both public and private sector clients, developing an in-depth understanding of the diverse pressures and shared interests of both sides of the regulatory fence. His skills encompass the design, selection and implementation of flood alleviation schemes (inc. major schemes in Hereford, Ammanford, Newport, Port Talbot and Cardiff), business case appraisals, catchment studies, hydraulic modelling, environmental assessment, policy development and advice, expert witness work, project management of multi-disciplinary teams, training and stakeholder engagement. George loves nothing more than bridging the gap between flood risk assessment, environmental appraisal and engineering; innovating to develop integrated and holistic solutions to the climate and biodiversity emergencies.

In 2009 George successfully established JBA Consulting’s first Welsh office in Newport, where he developed a diverse team of engineers, hydrologists, hydraulic modellers, environmental scientists and landscape architects. As Associate Director, George currently sits on the senior management team for JBA’s southern offices and over 200 technical staff. He is also JBA’s framework manager for NRW’s Water Consultancy Services framework and other regional frameworks. George is an CIWEM Fellow and active member of CIWEM’s Welsh Branch, occupying the role of Chair from 2019-2022 and leading the organisation of the annual Wales Flood Conference from 2020 to 2024.

Barrie has been with Asbri Planning since the company was founded in 2007.  In that time he has enjoyed working on a huge range of projects securing permission for many thousands of homes, dozens of schools and many other interesting projects. His current favourite scheme is the re-opening of the Rhondda Tunnel.

Barrie has appeared at several public inquiries as expert witness on a range of projects. He particularly likes tackling difficult projects where others have failed before.

Barrie is a certified ‘shellback’, he cut his teeth as a planner in Sydney, Australia, he is an ex-rugby player and now lapsed cyclist and, importantly, he is a two-time champion of the Asbri Planning Fantasy Football League.

Matthew is the Director of the Chartered Institute of Housing Cymru, leading the Wales team in providing a voice for professionals working in the housing sector in Wales.

Matthew manages all of the organisation's activities in Wales - its policy & public affairs work (sitting on many Welsh Government task & finish groups as well as other stakeholder groups - and jointly leading a cross-sector campaign to fully incorporate the right to adequate housing into Welsh law), promoting and managing the education and training offer in Wales; and most importantly managing the relationship with the CIH membership in Wales.

Esther is a busy and sought-after junior practitioner with a broad practice across all of Chambers’ areas of specialism. She is ranked as a Leading Junior for Planning in the Legal 500 and has been recognised as a top-rated junior under 35 in the Planning Law Survey since 2022. She is a Commissioning Editor of FTB’s Environmental Law Blog.

Esther read Jurisprudence at Merton College, Oxford, and has a master’s degree in EU Law from the European University Institute, Florence. Prior to coming to the Bar she spent a year as Judicial Assistant to Lord Justice Lloyd Jones (as he then was) at the Court of Appeal, working on cases involving issues of public and EU law. 

Esther regularly advises and represents local planning authorities, residents, developers and planning authorities on all aspects of planning law and in all forums. She has considerable experience as an inquiry advocate, both in her own right and as a junior, including lengthy, high-profile, called-in and recovered appeals. Recent experience includes representing Dacorum Borough Council in a five-week inquiry into an appeal recovered by the Secretary of State relating to a refusal of planning permission for an urban extension on a Green Belt site (led by Simon Bird KC), representing the Ministry of Defence (led by Mark Westmoreland Smith) in an inquiry into a proposed Gypsy and Traveller site in Lincolnshire and acting for a rule 6 party in an inquiry considering a refusal of planning permission for warehouses on grounds of landscape impact. Esther has a particularly strong track record of acting unled for rule 6 parties in planning inquiries, including local residents, organisations and Parish Councils, and has successfully defended the refusal of planning permission in all cases where she has been instructed, including on additional grounds beyond the reasons for refusal.

Esther also regularly acts for local planning authorities, objectors and applicants in legal proceedings involving planning matters. Recent and current work includes successfully defending a judicial review challenge to a decision of the London Borough of Camden not to take enforcement action and a claim seeking an injunction to enforce obligations in a s.106 agreement (led by Meyric Lewis KC).

Esther is a contributor to Butterworths’ Planning Service, responsible for Division C “Obtaining planning permission”. Esther was previously seconded to the Legal Department at the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, where she advised on a broad range of legal issues involving planning, regeneration and local government law, as well as gaining a close insight into the workings of a local planning authority.

Alice is a Planner at Savills in Cardiff and has worked on a variety of projects across the UK, including renewable energy schemes, data centres, sports stadium, and large mixed-use sites. In February 2024 she became a Chartered member of the RTPI. Alice studied BA Geography and Planning at UWE Bristol, and has an MSc in Spatial Planning and Development from Cardiff University. Outside of work, Alice enjoys going on walks across South Wales with her borrowed dog called Toby, cooking, and going to festivals and live music events.

Liz is a Public Health Specialist, the Programme Director for Health Impact Assessment (HIA) at Public Health Wales and the Director of the Wales Health Impact Assessment Support Unit (WHIASU). She is also Visiting Professor at the WHO Collaborating Centre (WHO CC) for 'Healthy Urban Environments' at the University of West of England, UK’ and a Fellow of the Faculty of Public Health.

Liz has extensive knowledge, understanding and practical application of HIA, ‘Health in All Policies’ (HiAP) and spatial planning and provides training, advice and guidance about the HIA and other IA processes.  As part of a ‘Health in All Policies’ approach to policy making much of the work Liz leads on takes place in non-heath sectors including spatial planning. Liz has published several journal papers and directed, and was the lead author on, influential HIAs such as the ‘The Public Health Implications of Brexit: A Health Impact Assessment (HIA) approach’ (PHW, 2019) which considers the implications of Brexit across a wide range of health determinants and population groups. Most recently, she directed and wrote the ‘Staying at Home and Social Distancing HIA in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Wales’ which looked at impact of ‘Lockdown’ in Wales and is about to publish several resources to support public health and planning officers to integrate health and wellbeing into planning policies. She is also the lead author of the only broad critical appraisal review tool for HIA ‘A Quality Review Framework for HIA’ (WHIASU, 2018).

Dr Sarah Groves-Phillips MRTPI is the Corporate Manager for Planning Services at Ceredigion County Council which encompasses Planning, Building Control and the Nutrient Management Board. She was named as one of the 50 most influential women in planning for 2025. Sarah has worked across policy and development management in her career and her particular interests lie in rural affordable housing and more recently nutrient management. Sarah volunteers on the RTPI policy forum.

Annabel has acted in a number of leading judicial reviews and planning inquiries of national significance. Clients include major developers and landowners, the UK and Welsh Governments, local authorities, statutory bodies, and individuals.

Annabel is consistently ranked for planning and licensing law in the leading independent directories, Chambers and Partners and Legal 500. She is described as "very commercial", "able to take on a lot of information and extract the key points", "well-reasoned and clear", "very useful and also very quick", able to "turn things around quickly" and as having "a very sharp legal mind" and being "a real asset to her chambers".

Annabel lives in Carmarthenshire in South West Wales and has particular experience of Welsh devolved public law and the planning system in Wales. She is a Councillor of Llandovery Town Council and Mayor for 2018-2019. She is also a Trustee of Prime Cymru, The Prince of Wales' charity for mature enterprise in Wales.

Mark Harris BA Hons BTP MRTPI  has been the Home Builders Federations Planning and Policy Advisory for Wales since 2014.  Marks role includes, working with Welsh Government to influence housing policies.  He provides evidence to Senedd and  Local Development Plan inquiries and a range of planning and housing consultations. Mark has over 30 years of experience as a planner in both the public and private sector and was RTPI Cymru chair in 2015 and currently sits on the Policy and Research forum.

A regional economist with a focus on sustainability and wellbeing, regional accounting modelling and statistics, systems change, futures and skills.

Formerly professor of economics at Cardiff Business School

Ruth is a Planner at WSP and is a Chartered Member of the RTPI. She completed her MSc in Urban and Regional Development and her BSc in City and Regional Planning at Cardiff University. In her spare time, Ruth enjoys running and baking, as well as watching all different kinds of sport.

Strategic Planning & Consents Director at Bute Energy. Specialist in large scale energy project consenting, strategic planning advice and management of large scale multi-disciplinary projects including Developments of National Significance and Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects. Currently managing the delivery of a portfolio of wind, solar and BESS projects across Wales.

Project experience includes multiple DNS, DCO and TCPA applications including onshore wind, solar, pumped hydro, BESS, peaking plants, CCGT, nuclear (new build and decommissioning) and highways.

Chair of RUK Cymru Strategy Group.
Former Council Member of the National Infrastructure Planning Association.

Helen is a Chartered town planner who has specialised in collaborative policy development within protected landscapes for the past 15 years. Based in Brecon, Helen was the driving force behind the recent, much publicised 25 year Plan for Bannau Brycheinog National Park, Y Bannau: A Future - A bold collaborative vision for the future of this special place, drawn through art, poetry, story and a moon shot approach to policy. Helen is now a Policy and Advocacy Manager at Woodlands Trust.

Tom Molyneux-Wright is a chartered member of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) and is a Principal Planner at national planning consultancy, DPP. He has a master’s degree in planning from the University of the West of England (UWE). Tom is based in Cardiff and has a particular focus on residential, education, and energy sectors. He has led major planning applications for a diverse range of public and private sector clients and as a key member of the Education Team, he has played a pivotal role in achieving consents for new schools, further education colleges and university buildings.

Gail has wide ranging experience within Sustainability and environmental management in both public and private sectors. As Nutrient Management Board Programme Manager for three of the SAC rivers in Wales affected by tighter phosphate compliance targets, she has ensured that the South-west region of Wales has responded swiftly and innovatively to the environmental, social, and economic implications of this issue. Her role is to advise the Local Authorities of West Wales on a strategic response to excess nutrients in SAC rivers. She works closely with Welsh Government, NRW, DCWW and Environmental Groups to collaborate in the agreement and delivery of a plan to improve the condition of some of the most precious rivers in Wales.

Jack is a Director in Savills’ Cardiff office, working on projects which have successfully grappled with the approach to be taken to the climate and nature emergencies. Whilst the recent positive outcome for a large number of, but not all, projects is welcome, the policy framework still requires careful consideration. Planning is at the forefront of green jobs and growth, both for Wales and Britain but can we do more for nature.

Sam is the RICS Senior Public Affairs Officer for Wales, working with Welsh Government and stakeholders to address the challenges facing the built environment. This includes focusing on decarbonising Wales, creating safer buildings, and supporting future talent in the profession. He is also responsible for managing the RICS UK policy on housing and sustainability, working to ensure the profession is at the forefront of tackling the challenges of climate change, including the need to create more than 30 million energy efficient and low-carbon homes

Kate has dual qualifications in both landscape architecture and architecture and has studied and worked in both disciplines throughout the UK. She is involved in a wide range of projects, including further and higher education, regeneration, healthcare and public realm.

She has previously been a studio tutor at the University of Liverpool and a PLACED Ambassador, delivering architecture workshops in schools across Merseyside. Kate is also Chair of Landscape Institute Wales and a Building with Nature Assessor.

Dr Daniel Slade is the RTPI’s Head of Practice & Research. He joined the Institute from the Town and Country Planning Association, where he spent three years managing their Healthy Homes campaign. Before that he was the RTPI’s Research Officer, and worked on the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects regime for the Institute for Government. He has a PhD on planning reform and an Masters in Civic Design (planning) from the University of Liverpool.

A Chartered Associate Planner based in WSP’s Cardiff Office with 7 years of experience of both the English and Welsh Planning systems, primarily in major infrastructure projects.

Experience includes providing technical planning advice on numerous projects within the energy, power, water and transport sectors for both public and private clients. Megan's focus is on securing planning consents for projects falling under the Planning Act 2008 regime (Development Consent Order) as well as planning permission for major infrastructure planning applications across England and Wales.

In addition to infrastructure planning, Megan also has experience working on a number of projects in the life science, commercial and industrial and logistics sectors.

Akshat is a Technical Director (Infrastructure Planning) for WSP.

Cheryl Williams is a Principal Public Health Specialist in Public Health Wales. She is currently undertaking a secondment with the Wales Health Impact Assessment Support Unit (WHIASU), working across Wales on spatial planning and health. This includes the development and support to use a range of tools and resources to facilitate joint working between planners and health professionals. Early in her career Cheryl worked as a town planner, in Coventry City Council and Cardiff Council, having initially qualified in planning before having a career change and moving into public health.

Gareth has 35 years experience working in the Welsh planning system. In that time he has worked for Swansea Council, HBF and for the past 23 years Lichfields, In that time he has advised private and public sector clients leading the planning teams that secured planning permission for Plasdwr (7,000 homes in NE Cardiff), the Barry Waterfront regeneration scheme and the Swansea Urban Village.