MEET THE TEAM
THE WNF BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Sasha Wynn Davies
Sasha Wynn Davies, Chair
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
Julian Vance-Daniel
Julian Vance-Daniel, Director
Julian is the Business Development Director and Founder of Vessco Engineering Ltd. He has over twenty five years’ experience leading pressure vessel companies in the UK and has worked in the civil nuclear sector for over a decade. Julian joined Proctor & Gamble in the early 1980s after leaving university, he started his first business in 1984, 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 treasurer. 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.
Jon Hatton
Jon Hatton, 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
Gareth Davies
Gareth Davies, Director
Gareth is a lawyer with 20 years legal and commercial experience in the nuclear sector. He started at the Imperial College 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. He sits on various Boards and committees, advising on compliance, strategy and corporate growth. He chairs the DIT/ NIA International Group and previously chaired the NIA Decommissioning and Waste Group. He is Honorary Secretary to the World Nuclear Transport Institute and Trustee of the Nuclear Institute.
Finally, Gareth has been an industrial Fellow at Bristol University and has been involved in the SME and diversity agendas for several years, most recently setting up the not for profit WiN UK Ltd and Inclusion and Diversity in Nuclear Ltd. Gareth has a keen interest in SMEs having set up and run the NDA SME mentoring scheme, and enjoys mentoring small businesses.
e: gareth.davies@daviesnuclear.co.uk
tel: 07764 1977322
Tony Davies
Tony Davies, Director
Tony has been involved in the Nuclear Industry for 33 years. Prior to this he spent 15 years in the Royal Navy. He has experience working in the military, new build, existing generation and decommissioning markets. Since 2012 he has worked at Costain where he was the Business Development Director for the Energy sector which covered the Nuclear, oil&gas and the emerging decarbonisation market. Previously, whilst at EC Harris, Tony worked on the new nuclear project in the Czech Republic; at Temelin and Prague. He has also worked as an Account Manager/Director for organisations including: UKAEA; Babcock, QinetiQ, AMEC and NNC Ltd where he secured opportunities across Winfrith; AWE; Devonport, Dounreay; Sellafield and Magnox sites.
In April 2022 Tony ‘semi-retired’ from Costain and created his own consultancy business Stacemark Developments Ltd where he currently provides strategic advice to organisations. Tony is a Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (FIET) and of the Nuclear Institution (FNI). He also has an MBA from the Open University. Tony is currently a Non-Executive Director at Machtech Energy Group. Outside of work Tony is passionate about rugby, sailing and photography.
Emily Sharp
Emily Sharp, Director
Emily is one of the decommissioning leads at Orano Ltd and has worked on a number of major nuclear sites in the UK, including Sellafield Ltd and Dounreay, since graduating Swansea University with a degree in Chemical Engineering back in 2015. Emily brings with her a great deal of enthusiasm for supporting the WNF mission and shining the spotlight on Wales as a key player in the nuclear sector.
tel: 07808 646806
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.
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
Nicola Rogers
Nicola Rogers, Director
Nicola is Business Stream Lead for Langfields, Salford. Nicola is responsible for the day to day running of the facility. She has worked in the nuclear industry for over 6 years working with Tier 1 nuclear operators, prior to working the nuclear sector, Nicola worked in the oil and gas industry for 10 years.
Nicola joins the WNF Board as part of Women in Nuclear UK’s (WiN) pilot NED scheme to provide senior leadership roles for women at boardroom level. The new scheme aims to provide director level experience and training to support leadership gender balance at board level.
Nicola is excited to support WNF and its members as the nuclear industry in Wales gains momentum.
e: nrogers@langfields.com
tel: 07779 585 126
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.