Commissioners

The Design Commission for Wales has five Commissioners and a Chairman, appointed through the public appointments process by the Minister for Environment, Sustainability and Housing. The Commission also co-opts members to the board, particularly in support of specialist areas such as Education.

DCFW's Commissioners are experts in their fields and champions of good design. They bring experience and enthusiasm to the work of the Commission, supporting the Chief Executive and team and providing the good governance and accountability required of a public body.

Chair of the Commission

Alan Francis

Chairman of the Commission Alan is also founding partner of Gaunt Francis Architects with offices in Cardiff and London. He also spent a decade with Hunter & Partners, London becoming director of design there in 1991 and has led major projects throughout the UK. Alan is dedicated to championing good design and views the role of the Commission as crucial. Alan has particular expertise in the development sector in both economics and procurement and brings a valuable perspective to the Commission. Gaunt Francis, working with Barratt as development partner, completed in May 2008, the first house to achieve Code Level 6 on the Code for Sustainable Homes.

Commissioner

Eileen Adams

Eileen was co-opted to the Commission in 2003 to chair the Education Advisory Panel. An internationally recognised educationalist and author, in demand throughout the UK and America, Eileen leads Power Drawing, the education programme of the Campaign for Drawing and acts as a consultant for CABE. Eileen has led the development of My Square Mile, DCFW's education programme for primary schools and is now working with the team on Know Your Place and other initiatives designed to engage children young people and families in their spaces and places.

Commissioner

Cathy Mclean

Cathy is Director of RICS Wales and prior to that she held posts in the Welsh Development Agency, latterly specialising in urban regeneration initiatives and all-Wales projects. She has been involved in the property industry in Wales for over 20 years, working as a qualified Chartered Surveyor. Cathy is a board member of the Construction Industry Council Wales and was voted Property Personality of the Year 2008.

Commissioner

Professor Richard Parnaby

Professor of Architecture at the University of the West of England, Richard studied architecture and planning at Liverpool University and holds a master's degree from the University of Oregon. He worked as an architect in Vancouver for several years and was a partner in an Architectural practice in Wales from 1980 to 1996. Richard was project architect for the British Steel low energy house at Garden Festival Wales (1992) and the Rhondda Heritage Park Visitor Centre and from 1982 to 1987 Richard was a lecturer the Welsh School of Architecture, Cardiff. He has also been a visiting design tutor at Liverpool University and visiting lecturer in the Department of City and Regional Planning at Cardiff University. Founding chair of DCFW and a past president of the Royal Society of Architects in Wales (1997-1999), Richard has also served on the Board and Council of the RIBA and is a member of their Education Committee.

Commissioner

Professor John Punter

Commissioner and founding Chair of Design Review, John is Professor of Urban Design at Cardiff University School of City and Regional Planning. A planning and urban design academic, he has written extensively on UK design control including detailed studies of design control practices in Reading and Bristol, of design policy and guidance (for the British Government) and of the content and resolution of design appeals. He contributed to 'By Design',1999, wrote the original Welsh Development Agency (WDA) 'Design Strategy',2002 and co-authored with the RTPI 'From Design Policy to Design Quality' in 2002. He has undertaken consultancy for Reading Borough Council, Comedia, the WDA and research for Cardiff County Council. His extensive international research includes major studies of planning in France 1989, Design guidance in Europe 1999, Urban design in Vancouver 2003, and Sydney 2005 and Suzhou, Xiamen and Zhenjiang in China 2004/05. He is a member of the RTPI and serves on its Urban Design Network. He is an honorary member of the Royal Society of Architects in Wales and a member of the Urban Design Group.

Commissioner

Gerard Ryan

Gerard studied architecture at South Bank Polytechnic and the University of Virginia and holds a Masters degree from the Bartlett School of Architecture. He is a member of the RIBA. Gerard taught architecture and occasionally still lectures. Formerly an associate at Shepheard Epstein Hunter plc he is currently a project leader at Nicholas Hare Architects LLP where he lead the architectural team responsible for No 1 Callaghan Square in Cardiff which won the Alwynn Lloyd Gold Medal at the National Eisteddfod in 2003. Gerard is determined to promote and support the DCfW's vision for design excellence in Wales as endorsed by the WAG. Gerard is also chair of the Kingsland Conservation Area Advisory Committee and sits on Hackney's Planning Forum.