CCW Structure and People

CCW is directed by its Council which consists of a Chair and up to 10 Members. They are appointed by the Welsh Government, which also provides CCW’s annual budget. The Council is responsible for providing strategic direction, setting policy and ensuring that CCW meets its objectives.

The day to day running of CCW is the responsibility of a Chief Executive supported by a Directors Team:

Roger Thomas, Chief Executive
Dr David Parker, Director Evidence and Advice
Adrian Williams, Director Planning and Resources
Dr Maggie Hill, Director South and East Region
Dr David Worrall, Director West Region

CCW operates throughout Wales. There is a Headquarters in Bangor, three Regions (North, South and East, and West) and two Directorates comprising eleven Groups.

Meet the Directors Team

Roger Thomas

Roger has been the Chief Executive of CCW for the past 7 years where he has overall responsibility for managing the organisation. A biologist by training, he has spent his career in the water industry and environmental management. Before coming to CCW, he was Director of Environment Agency Wales.

Roger is the Secretary Treasurer of the EEAC (the European Network of environment and sustainable development advisory councils), a founder member of ENCA (the European network of heads of conservation agencies). He is the chair of the Coed Cymru partnership as well as a trustee of both the Pond Conservation Trust and Tir Coed and a Board Member of Cynnal Cymru.

Dr David Parker

David joined CCW some twelve years ago following a career as an environmental consultant in the private sector. He joined initially as Director, Operations but the role moved on to include leading CCW’s science and evidence strategies. David now leads the organisation in providing specialist technical and scientific advice in support of CCW’s work and in advising Government. He is also CCW’s Chief Scientist.

David is Chair of the National Wildflower Centre in Liverpool and is Trustee of Plantlife, the wild plant conservation charity. He is a past-President and Fellow of the Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (IEEM). He also finds time to be a field naturalist and has been a WeBS bird recorder on the Dee Estuary for over 30 years.

Adrian Williams, Director of Planning and Resources

Adrian has the lead role for business planning, partnerships and grants in CCW as well as the lead Director for a number of support services that are provided to CCW as a whole, which include procurement and financial management, facilities management, HR and Information Services.

Adrian joined CCW in 2009 from the RAF where he has held a number of senior positions and attaining the rank of Air Commodore. He is a Graduate of both Bangor University and King’s College London. He was also awarded the OBE in 1997 for his work in support of the RAF.

Dr David Worrall, Regional Director West

David began his CCW career as a District Officer for Gwent in 1991, just after the organisation was created. He then moved to work in Pembrokeshire and became CCW’s Regional Director West in 2004.

He is now responsible for all CCW's work in West Wales - balancing people's enjoyment of the countryside with the conservation of what is special in West Wales, and there is some fantastic countryside, coast and wildlife. He is a member of CCW's Director's Team and has a particular interest in practical conservation, chairing both the Special Sites Project Board and the NNR Strategy Group.

Dr Maggie Hill, Regional Director South and East

Maggie is responsible for all CCW’s work in South and East Wales - protected sites and species, regional policy, development casework, outdoor recreation, grants and building partnerships. She is a member of CCW’s Director’s Team.

With a background as a marine and coastal ecologist, she worked as an environmental consultant in Liverpool for 10 years before joining CCW in 1997 as its Head of Marine and Earth Sciences Group. She has a particular interest in energy and infrastructure developments. She has been the Regional Director South and East since 2004.