Management committee

Anthony Brito - Chairman

CEO of the Blaenymaes, Portmead, Penplas Development Trust Ltd., and Community Regeneration Co-ordinator at the City and County of Swansea. Founder member and instigator of the ProMo project, with twenty five years experience of management in private, public and community sectors, - currently teaching Community Development and Community Enterprise at the University of Wales Swansea.

Alan Millard - Treasurer

Senior manager from Dwr Cymru. Alan brings sound financial management skills to the board.

Alex Bird

Alex has over 30 years experience working in the Co-operative and Social Economy sectors in Wales. Alex is presently, Chair of the Wales Institute for Research into Co-operatives at UWIC Business School, Chair of Co-operatives & Mutuals Wales, and former Board Member of Wales Co-op Centre, Social Firms UK, Social Firms Wales, CEW and Cardiff & Vale Enterprise. He has past experience of staging music events at local venues, as well as 20 years running a successful printing co-operative. He is currently a freelance consultant specialising in Co-operatives and the Social Economy. Further details at :www.alex-bird.com

Dr Len Arthur

Director of the Co-operatives Research Institute.
UWIC Business School Director of Research and Enterprise.

Simon Harris

Chief Executive of Wales Co-operative Centre. Simon has been Chief Executive for the past two years and has worked for the Centre for fourteen years. In that time the Centre has grown to become the largest co-operative support organisation in the UK and the largest social enterprise agency in Wales.

The Centre has been instrumental in promoting co-operatives and the wider social enterprise sector throughout Wales and is a key delivery organisation of the Welsh Assembly's strategies on the social economy in Wales. It is a lead partner on the Communities First Support Network, chairs the Social Enterprise Network and is a member of the board of the UK wide Social Enterprise Coalition. Simon is also a member of the Welsh Assembly's Social Enterprise Working Group.

Pat Burns

Project Manager for Enterprise Rehearsal Project at the Wales Co-operative centre which helps people who are unemployed to set up in self employment. Over 10 years experience in both social economy business development and self employment business advice. Qualified to IBA standard in Business Planning and Business Counselling. PGCE in further education for adults and currently finalising a degree in Business Development. I have been an active member of the Vale of Glamorgan Management Board for European funding and have represented the Wales Co-op Centre on the Objective 2 partnership. Community councillor and ex-Cub Scout leader. Background of dance and drama.

Mike Bowden

Mike is employed by Cardiff Council as the New Media & Publicity Officer for 'Culture, Leisure & Parks'.

He also works as a freelance graphic designer and multimedia tutor. He has been working and collaborating with the voluntary and community arts sectors for many years.

Karen Wilkie

Assistant General Secretary, The Co-operative Party.
Karen has worked for the Co-operative Party since 1995, and is responsible for national organisation, together with the Party's work in the National Assembly and local government. She is a founder member of Co-operatives and
Mutuals Wales and a Director of WMCAM (Co-operatives West Midlands) and ELAN Wales.

Company Secretary

Marco Gil-Cerventes - Chief Executive