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Cornerstone appointment

The National Botanic Garden of Wales has made a “cornerstone” appointment to its executive management team.

Geraint James has joined the Garden in what Interim Chief Executive Roy J. Thomas described as “a first class appointment”.

Mr Thomas said: “Geraint’s experience will strengthen the management team at the Garden as we improve our financial stability against a backdrop of increasing visitor numbers. He is a first class accountant but also has experience of the tourism industry and private and public funding.”

Mr James was with the Wales Tourist Board from February 2001 until this year and was in charge of the board’s £45 million budget – which tripled during his term of office.

Geraint qualified as a chartered accountant with Coopers and Lybrand in Swansea and gained experience at the National Audit Office. He later became the first chief finance officer of the Welsh Language Board. From 2004-2006, he served as chairman of the Tourism and Hospitality Special Interest Group of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in London.

He said: “I’m delighted to be joining Roy and the new Trustees and I am greatly looking forward to taking this exciting project forward and play my part in realising the vision.”

Geraint James, a Welsh speaker, is married with four children and lives in Swansea and takes up his post – of chief finance officer - this week. He also takes charge of HR and IT.

Mr Thomas promised more news about the management team as he seeks to strengthen the running of the Garden: “We cannot stand still. More changes will be announced very soon,” he said. “But we are improving our commercial activities and we are ahead of budget on visitor numbers and spend per head for the start of the financial year.”