SRA Board Chair, Charles Plant, has today announced that Enid Rowlands has been appointed to succeed him as Chair of the SRA Board from 1 January 2015.

Charles Plant said: “I am delighted to announce that Enid Rowlands has been appointed as the new Chair of the SRA Board. Enid brings a wealth of experience from her roles in the public and voluntary sectors, and has an excellent understanding of regulation in the legal services market through her membership of the SRA Board.
“I look forward to working closely with her over the coming months to ensure a smooth and successful transition.”

The appointment has been made by an independent appointments panel, chaired by Elizabeth Filkin CBE, following an open competition. The appointment is for an initial period of three years.

Enid Rowlands said: “I look forward to leading a highly able and committed Board and an organisation comprised of talented individuals with a strong commitment to providing high-quality regulation in the public interest.

“There is much for the organisation to do to continue the programme of modernisation and liberalisation on which it has embarked. I have every confidence that it will be successful in delivering this programme and the benefits that it is designed to achieve.

“I am particularly looking forward to developing strong and effective working relationships with those regulated by the SRA and with their representative bodies, and to developing a stronger dialogue with the users of legal services on whose behalf we regulate.”

Charles Plant has led the SRA Board since January 2010, and his term of office will end on 31 December 2014.

Enid Rowlands is currently a member of the SRA Board, having been appointed on 1 January 2013. She is the UK Chair of Victim Support, having also held roles with Consumer Focus, North Wales Police Authority, North Wales Health Authority, the Training Standards Council and S4C Broadcasting Authority.

Following a training in psychology, Enid Rowlands’ professional life included numerous training and skills positions, having begun her career working with unemployed and disadvantaged young people, progressing to being Chair of Education and Skills Wales. She is currently a Member of the General Medical Council, Board member at the Information Commissioner’s Office and a Trustee of Nest Corporation.

Enid has also served on Ministerial Advisory Committees on Equalities and held voluntary sector positions with the Royal National Institute for the Deaf and The Prince’s Trust.

Further information on the SRA Board and its committees can be found athttp://www.sra.org.uk/sra/how-we-work/board.page