Meet us at UKREiiF
We will be joined by representatives by Cardiff, Monmouthshire, Blaenau Gwent, Newport and Bridgend council.
Councillor Mary Ann Brocklesby
Chair, Cardiff Capital Region
Leader of Monmouthshire County Council
Mary Ann is Leader of Monmouthshire County Council, elected in May 2022.
She has been Chair of the South East Wales Corporate Joint Committee (Cardiff Capital Region) since June 2024, and the Portfolio Lead for Governance, Resources and Assurance. She is a Welsh Local Government Association spokesperson on Climate Change and Social Justice.
Mary Ann is an expert in international development, gender and human rights. She has previously worked with the United Nations and International Aid agencies, the World Bank and Governments across Asia and Africa to strengthen the voices of marginalised people.
In Wales, she is Chair of the Women’s Equality Network Wales, a director of the Egni Coop responsible for £4m of Solar investment locally and a former chair of Awel Aman Tawe, Wales’s largest community energy group raising £7m to establish the first community wind farm in Wales.
Councillor Deb Davies
Deputy Leader Newport City Council
Currently Newport City Council Deputy Leader, since May 2022, working closely with the Leader, with a clear focus and priority on regenerating the city and the city centre.
Proud to be part of a team that focusses on what matters to our residents who live in a rapidly expanding city that’s become a central hub to the data and semi-conductor industry in South East Wales. I am currently the Cabinet Member for Education and Early Years with previous responsibility for the Sustainability and City Services portfolios, with initial experience working to develop the work and skills portfolio. An experienced Councillor who originally trained and became a qualified Nurse, working as a ward manager in Respiratory Medicine.
Jake Morgan
Chief Executive Bridgend County Borough Council
Jake Morgan is the Chief Executive of Bridgend County Borough Council where him and his team are leading significant regeneration projects in Porthcawl and Bridgend Town Centre. He leads a thriving County Borough Council which has an approved LDP that will enable 9000 homes in the coming years, alongside the largest planned coastal development in Wales. The Council has recently acquired a large stake in Bridgend Town Centre that it will be developing regeneration plans for.
Jake joined Bridgend from Carmarthenshire County Council where he was Deputy Chief Executive. He worked as a Corporate Director in Local Government for 12 years successfully leading services as diverse as Housing, Leisure, Social Services and Education.
Councillor James Clarke
Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Business Growth, Newport City Council
James Clarke is the Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Business Growth at Newport City Council, with responsibility for driving economic development, inward investment, and sustainable growth across the city.
First elected as Councillor for the Malpas Ward in 2017, James was re-elected in 2022 and subsequently appointed to the Cabinet in recognition of his commitment and leadership. He plays an active role in shaping regeneration policy and works closely with both the Welsh Government and UK Government to deliver outcomes that support businesses, communities, and long term prosperity in Newport.
James is a member of the Welsh Local Government Association and is a graduate of the WLGA Leadership Programme. He is known for his strong leadership skills, clear decision making, and effective communication. He believes that vision, openness, transparency, and collaboration are essential to building strong partnerships and delivering successful regeneration.
In addition to his Cabinet responsibilities, James also serves as a Magistrate, a role that further demonstrates his commitment to public service and community leadership.
Before his work in Parliament, Mike had a varied career delivering major projects and programmes in Local Government, the Civil Service and the aviation sector. Mike has always endeavoured to work to support underrepresented groups and to champion the work of others in this area.
Kellie Beirne
Chief Executive, Cardiff Capital Region
Kellie Beirne is the Chief Executive of Cardiff Capital Region – the partnership of ten councils working to improve the lives of the 1.5m residents in South East Wales through transforming the economy, business landscape and innovation in the Region.
Kellie joined CCR in 2018 from her role as Deputy Chief Executive at Monmouthshire County Council, where she gained a reputation for promoting the entrepreneurial state.
Kellie is a Fellow of the Learned Society of Wales, a Governor at Cardiff Metropolitan University and sits on several innovation advisory boards including the Morgan Advanced Studies Institute at Swansea University, Cardiff University’s International Board and the Connected Places Catapult Advisory Group. She is also an Honorary Fellow of Cardiff University.
Mike Brough
Director for Regional Growth and Investment
Mike leads the delivery of the growth agenda for CCR, delivering on CCR’s objectives to be Stronger, Fairer and Greener. Prior to this role, Mike led the transition of CCR from a single programme to the South East Wales Corporate Joint Committee with all the requirements to operate as a formally constituted corporate body. Mike’s career has focussed on delivering major infrastructure projects, spending a number of years working in the Houses of Parliament, delivering major interventions to ensure the House of Commons and House of Lords could continue to operate safely and securely. This culminated in his role within the Restoration & Renewal Sponsor Body as the Director for Programme and Assurance.
Before his work in Parliament, Mike had a varied career delivering major projects and programmes in Local Government, the Civil Service and the aviation sector. Mike has always endeavoured to work to support underrepresented groups and to champion the work of others in this area.
Gareth Berry
Inward Investment Senior Manager
Gareth leads Cardiff Capital Region’s inward investment activity, working with private sector partners, local authorities, Welsh and UK Governments to attract and retain high-value businesses and investors. His focus is on creating jobs, building infrastructure, and fostering a thriving business environment across the region.
Gareth also champions CCR’s key industrial clusters, including Compound Semiconductors, FinTech, Cybersecurity, Creative, MedTech, and Energy & Environment. With a strong commitment to driving economic growth and promoting South East Wales as a world-class destination for investment, Gareth plays a pivotal role in shaping a competitive and inclusive regional economy.
Nicola Denning
Head of Infrastructure Development
Nicola leads Cardiff Capital Region’s infrastructure development portfolio, delivering major housing, energy, transport and commercial property programmes that enable sustainable and inclusive regional growth.
With extensive experience working across complex multi-partner environments, her work is driven by a commitment to collaboration, innovation and place-based development. She works closely with public and private sector partners to deliver transformative infrastructure initiatives that strengthen communities and create lasting social, economic and environmental impact.
Francesca Carpanini
Head of Communications & External Affairs
Francesca leads Cardiff Capital Region’s communications and external affairs function, shaping the narrative of the region’s innovation and investment through impactful storytelling. An award-winning Chartered PR practitioner, she brings over 15 years of experience in strategic communications and more than a decade in senior leadership roles, with a proven track record of reporting at Board level and delivering campaigns that drive meaningful engagement.
Her career has been defined by a commitment to purpose-driven organisations, creating integrated outcomes-focused strategies that resonate with diverse audiences and strengthen partnerships across sectors.
Nicola Somerville
Head of Operations, Engagement and Governance