Deputy minister for arts, sport and tourism Dawn Bowden has announced the appointment of Kate Eden as the new chair of Amgueddfa Cymru – Museum Wales.
Amgueddfa Cymru comprises seven museums and a collections centre, including St Fagans National Museum of History, which was awarded Art Fund Museum of the Year in 2019.
As chair, Eden will be accountable to Welsh ministers for the conduct of Amgueddfa Cymru’s affairs and has responsibility for chairing and overseeing the board of trustees.
Eden has held a portfolio of non-executive positions across key bodies in Welsh public life, with a focus on the cultural and health sectors. Prior to her non-executive career, she spent 15 years in the pharmaceutical and biotech industry in public affairs, policy and strategic communications.
She was born and brought up in north Wales, attending the Alun School in Mold before studying social and political sciences at King’s College, Cambridge.
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On being appointed to the role, Eden said: “This is a really exciting opportunity to help lead Wales’ family of national museums and collections through the next part of their journey to becoming truly accessible, representative reflections of our myriad Welsh communities and histories.”
Eden’s term will start on 1 September for four years, and she will step down from her role as vice-chair of Arts Council of Wales.
Former chair Roger Lewis left his role on the board of trustees in December 2022, having been chair since 2019.
Rhys Evans has been appointed as vice-chair of Amgueddfa Cymru. Evans is the BBC Cymru Wales head of corporate affairs and public policy and is responsible for a range of functions, including communications, regulatory and public affairs. He is a non-executive director and trustee of Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol.
Announcing the appointments, Bowden said: “I would like to welcome Kate and Rhys to their new roles. Amgueddfa Cymru is entering a new and exciting phase and I look forward to working with them to strengthen and build on the fantastic work being done by Amgueddfa Cymru to inspire and inform people throughout Wales.
“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Carol Bell, the acting president and vice-president since 2016 who is coming to the end of her tenure on the board. Bell joined as a trustee in 2014 and since January 2023 has taken on additional presidential responsibilities, bringing continuity to the board and showing dedication and commitment to Amgueddfa Cymru.”
Amgueddfa Cymru acting president Carol Bell said: “On behalf of Amgueddfa Cymru, I would like to congratulate both Kate and Rhys on their new appointments. This is an exciting time for Amgueddfa Cymru as we widen our compass of engagement and work to deliver our Strategy 2030 for the communities of Wales. We look forward to welcoming the experience and fresh perspectives they will bring to our board of trustees.”
Amgueddfa Cymru is currently recruiting a new director after David Anderson, a former Museums Association president, stepped down in April after leading the national museum for 12 years.