A first-of-its-kind conference will be held in north Wales this Spring, bringing together the private, public and third sectors in order to share best practice and to encourage collaboration between organisations to ensure good governance.

Jointly developed by law firm Darwin Gray, Adra Housing Association and Menter a Busnes, the “Governance Wales – Leading the Way in 2024” conference will take place on Tuesday 21 May at Tŷ Gwyrddfai, Penygroes.

Expert speakers from across the UK will explore the academic, professional and practical elements of good governance, exploring a huge range of topics including the serious implications of getting governance wrong, lessons learnt from recent governance scandals, the important of good board recruitment and identifying conflicts of interests, and the implications for boards and organisations of the new Economic Crime and Transparency Act 2023.

The full-day conference will welcome an impressive line-up of speakers, including Future Generations Commissioner, Derek Walker, Welsh Language Commissioner, Efa Gruffudd Jones, Richard Wyn Jones, Director of Cardiff University’s Wales Governance Centre, and Gwion Lewis, KC.

Fflur Jones, Managing Partner at Darwin Gray said:

“We are proud to be leading the way with this conference to promote, educate and share best practice in relation to good governance. Given the number of recent scandals within Welsh and UK public institutions over the last 18 months, it has never been more important for organisations to take stock, look at their governance arrangements, and review what improvements they can introduce to ensure the organisations are being governed properly. Attendance at this practical and thought-provoking conference should be an absolute must both for board members and senior members of the executive of businesses, charities and other organisations, no matter what their size.”

Conference delegates will also be amongst some of the first to enjoy the newly renovated Tŷ Gwyrddfai, which is set to be the UK’s first decarbonisation hub.

Iwan Trefor Jones, Chief Executive at Adra Housing Association said:

“We’re delighted to be hosting this conference at Tŷ Gwyrddfai and working with our partners to offer an in-depth look at what good governance looks and feels like. Strong governance arrangements are essential to every organisation and we look forward to sharing our experiences at Adra, but also learning valuable experiences from others attending the conference”.

Llŷr Roberts, Chief Executive of Menter a Busnes added:

“At Menter a Busnes, we have identified good governance as a key enabler in our corporate strategy. This groundbreaking conference presents an invaluable opportunity for leaders across various sectors in Wales to learn from experts, share best practices, and nurture collaboration. By working together and adopting sound governance principles, we can ensure our organisations operate ethically, efficiently, and ultimately contribute to a brighter future for Wales.”