MEET THE TEAM
THE WNF BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Julian Vance-Daniel
Julian Vance-Daniel, Chair
Julian is the Business Development Director and Founder of Vessco Engineering Ltd. In 2024 he became joint owner of Afon Engineering in Swansea. He has over twenty-seven years’ experience leading pressure vessel companies in the UK and has worked in the civil nuclear sector for over a decade. Julian worked for Proctor & Gamble in the early 1980s after leaving university, thereafter he was a business consultant predominantly working for engineering businesses large and small.
Julian joined the Wales Nuclear Forum in 2017 and is currently Chair. Vessco Engineering’s first foray into the nuclear arena was becoming an Approved Supplier to Rolls-Royce Civil Nuclear, which lead to significant contracts at Hinkley Point C with GE Power Systems, Balfour Beatty, Ovivo UK and Rolls-Royce. Vessco have since won new business with Jacobs for vessels destined for ITER in France, with Sellafield, UKAEA and Bangor Nuclear Futures Institute. Julian has a desire to help WNF members to emulate the Vessco success and win nuclear business both in the UK and overseas.
Miles Weston
Miles Weston, Director
Miles is Chief Engineer and Technology Strategy Manager within the NDT Group at TWI Ltd, working at their Port Talbot office in S.Wales. He graduated from the University of Manchester in 2011 with an Engineering Doctorate in Manufacturing Engineering and a Post Graduate Diploma in Enterprise Management. Since joining TWI in 2011 Miles has worked in various technical and management roles within R&D and engineering consultancy environments.
Since 2016 his focus has been within the UK civil nuclear and defence sectors, working predominantly on new build and in-service programmes to support life extension. Most recently he has been involved with the creation of an inspection qualification body located in S.Wales to qualify personnel, procedures and equipment for the civil nuclear and defence sectors.
Miles is passionate about supporting Wales and the wider UK supply chain in building capacity and winning business to create jobs and economic growth.
Dr Debbie Jones
Dr Debbie Jones, Director
Debbie is the Low Carbon Innovation Manager at Menai Science Park (M-SParc) on Anglesey and is also the lead for the North West Nuclear Arc and a senior member of the Offshore Energy Alliance.
She completed a PhD in nuclear biochemistry at the University of Manchester in 2016 and as part of her studies did a 3 month placement with Hitachi in Japan supporting some of the Fukushima clean up work.
Debbie previously worked at Bangor University supporting a range of projects including the BWR Research Hub, the North West Nuclear Arc and the Nuclear Futures Institute. As part of her role at Bangor she developed business cases for the North Wales Growth Deal and is a qualified Better Business Case Practitioner.
Her current role see’s her manage the Low Carbon Innovation team at M-SParc who are working to support a range of low carbon opportunities across North Wales. Debbie is passionate about saving the planet by encouraging everyone to help on the quest to net zero.
Jon Hatton
Jon Hatton, Finance Director
Jon is the Radiological Environment Lead at Sizewell C ensuring compliance and providing key technical advice on matters related to radiological environmental permitting. Jon has also previously worked in engineering and naval defence consultancies since graduating from Cardiff University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering in 2018.
Jon is keen to bring some fresh ideas and enthusiasm as a Director of the WNF, to provide the best possible value for money for our members
Stephanie Mckenna
Stephanie McKenna, Director
Stephanie joined the Nuclear Industry Association in 2007 and is Head of Membership Services and Events. Stephanie is responsible for the 280 member companies and leads on the NIA business group and event programmes. Prior to joining the NIA Stephanie organised events for a leading publishing organisation.
e: stephanie.mckenna@niauk.org
tel: 07745555733
THE WNF MANAGEMENT TEAM
Sasha Wynn Davies
Sasha Wynn Davies, President
Sasha is an experienced and effective economic and community regeneration and development professional having worked in both the private and public sectors in senior positions over the last 30 years, across Wales, the UK and overseas. Sasha has worked with and in the nuclear sector for the last 15 years in Wales and wider UK having previously held the role, Head of Strategic Development Wales for the former Horizon Nuclear Power Wylfa Newydd project. Sasha was also instrumental in establishing Anglesey Energy Island and was the inaugural Programme Director. Since January 2021 Sasha now runs her own organisation in business, community development and stakeholder engagement consultancy, focusing predominantly on the nuclear and low carbon energy sector. She is passionate about maximising the socio-economic opportunity for Welsh and Wales based businesses to the benefit of Wales and wider UK. Sasha is a fluent Welsh speaker and has good French.
Sasha has chaired a number of key North Wales regional skills and employment partnerships and is currently a voluntary Board Trustee of the Wales Nuclear Forum and Nuclear Institute. Sasha is also the Vice Chair of ‘Adra’ (a leading North Wales Housing Association)
e: sasha@sashawynn.co.uk
tel: 07717 574313
Gareth Davies
Gareth Davies, Company Secretary
Gareth is a lawyer with 25 years legal and commercial nuclear sector experience. He started at Imperial College’s Research Reactor and has since worked with most UK licenced sites. He is a nuclear consultant with specialist law firm Stephenson Harwood LLP, and co-owns a niche international nuclear M & A consultancy.
Gareth advises domestic and overseas nuclear clients on strategy, growth, and his area of special interest corporate governance. He sits on various Boards and committees, chairs the DIT/ NIA International Group, is Secretary to Radsafe CLG and Inclusion and Diversity in Nuclear Ltd. He was previously Hon Sec to WNTI, an NI Trustee and Company Secretary and Guarantor of Women in Nuclear Ltd.
Gareth was an industrial Fellow at Bristol University for many years. He has been closely involved in the SME agenda for over a decade, having set up and run the NDA SME mentoring scheme. He now enjoys mentoring both individuals and small businesses, and designed/ set up the WiN NED initiative.
Outside work Gareth enjoys fly fishing and rugby.
gareth.davies@daviesnuclear.co.uk
07764 197732