PRESS RELEASE : Ruth Glazzard confirmed as next chair of the Welsh Revenue Authority [January 2023]

The press release issued by the Welsh Government on 11 January 2023.

The Minister for Finance and Local Government has today (11 January) confirmed that Ruth Glazzard will become the next chair of the Welsh Revenue Authority (WRA).

Ruth will succeed the current chair, Kathryn Bishop, who stepped down in October after serving for 5 years in post.

In recent years, Ruth has served in several other non-executive membership roles with organisations including the Centre for Digital Public Services for Wales and Digital Health and Care Wales.

The WRA currently manages 2 devolved taxes, Land Transaction Tax and Landfill Disposals Tax, on behalf of the Welsh Government.

Minister for Finance and Local Government, Rebecca Evans, commented:

It’s 5 years since the first WRA Board meeting was held and it became the first non-ministerial department established by the Welsh Government.

Under Kathryn’s insightful leadership, the WRA became the vehicle which allowed Wales to raise taxes for the first time in 800 years. To date, the WRA has raised more than £1bn in tax revenue to support public services across Wales.

I’m pleased to welcome Ruth to support the authority’s next chapter. Ruth’s credentials supporting other organisations, such as the Centre for Digital Public Services for Wales and Digital Health and Care Wales, will enable the WRA as a digital-first organisation to develop even better digital public services in Wales.

Incoming Chair, Ruth Glazzard, commented:

I’m delighted to become the next Chair of the WRA, and I’m excited to be continuing the successful journey Kathryn has had in supporting the organisation to this point.

I’m looking forward to working with other members of the Board to support the WRA’s leadership team to continue the organisation’s work, managing devolved taxes and supporting on the design and development of future taxes in Wales.

I recognise this is a difficult time in public services and I’m therefore proud to be working with a body that’s been set up to raise vital revenue to support communities across Wales.

Dyfed Alsop, CEO of the WRA, commented:

I’d like to thank Kathryn for all the support offered over the last 5 years – through many firsts for tax in Wales and the challenging times we found ourselves in during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Kathryn has made a major contribution in helping us become the modern tax authority we aspired to be 5 years ago.

I’d also like to welcome Ruth who I‘m looking forward to working with. I’m excited about the challenges and opportunities we have on the horizon, and welcome the wealth of experience and expertise Ruth will bring to the role as our next Board Chair.

The appointment of Ruth Glazzard as WRA Chair follows a fair and open recruitment exercise.

Ruth Glazzard

• Ruth is currently the Vice Chair of Digital Health and Care Wales, and holds non-executive roles with a housing association and a social enterprise.
• Ruth was a member of the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales, and held an interim board role with the Centre for Digital Public Services Wales.
• Ruth has significant experience in corporate management, and a background in financial services regulation, with a particular focus on oversight, audit and risk.
• Ruth also has significant board experience as an independent Chair of the Audit Board and Chair of the Standards Advisory Committee for the London Borough of Newham.
• She previously held an international role as a Head of Governance for Standard Chartered Bank, and worked in both operational management and regulatory roles at the Financial Conduct Authority.