Welsh Assembly appoints Digital Advisory Board

Board members include director of research and technology at BT Innovate and Design

Board will encourage partnerships between different government departments

The Welsh government has appointed an advisory board to provide expert advice on the country’s digital agenda, according to a written statement from Lesley Griffiths, Deputy Minister for Science, Innovation and Skills in the Welsh parliament yesterday.

The board will comprise eight members who will advise on key aspects of the digital agenda including infrastructure, skills, competitiveness, public service delivery and digital inclusion.

Griffiths said the board members all have a high degree of subject knowledge and significant direct delivery experience.

The board members include Sangeet Bhullar, founder and executive director of Wise Kids, a new media consultancy firm, and Simon Gibson, chief executive of Wesley Clover, a venture fund specialising in seeding technology companies.

Gibson said: “I welcome the recognition and development of a proactive digital strategy for Wales.”

He added: “A competitive and technically advanced telecommunications infrastructure is critical for the future of our economy…the board will work with the Welsh Assembly Government to drive the provision of digital services and encourage partnerships between the various government departments, public sector agencies and private companies.”

The board has been set up for 12 months initially and will meet on a quarterly basis with the minutes of each meeting published on the Welsh Assembly Government web site. Its inaugural meeting will take place on 3 November 2010.

The other board members are: Andrew Green, chief executive officer of the National Library of Wales; Professor Gareth Hughes, former chief executive of the European Regional Information Society Association (ERIS); David Hylands, the chief information systems officer (CISO) at Wrexham County Borough Council; Huw Jones the deputy chair of the Wales employment and skills board and previously S4C’s longest serving Chief Executive; Ron Jones, the chair of the creative industries panel and executive chairman of Tinopolis, one of the UK’s largest independent television production companies; and Jean-François Schmid, director of research and technology at BT Innovate & Design.