Dr Gwenllian Lansdown Davies, currently the Chief Executive of Mudiad Meithrin, has been appointed as the Chief Executive of the new professional learning and leadership body for the education sector of the Welsh Government.

The professional learning and leadership body will come into being from 1st September 2025, will lead the delivery of professional learning to support practitioners, including teaching assistants, teachers, senior leaders, headteachers and school improvement advisors in maintained schools and Pupil Referral Units in Wales along their career pathways.

Cabinet Secretary for Education, Lynne Neagle said: “I am pleased to welcome Dr Gwenllian Lansdown Davies as the new Chief Executive of the new professional learning and leadership body. Gwenllian brings with her a wealth of experience and I look forward to working together as we focus on improving professional learning for our education sector.

“The professional learning and leadership body will provide a high quality and nationally consistent approach to professional learning across Wales and will include a focus on improving literacy, numeracy and wellbeing, alongside long-term change programmes including support for additional learning needs and improving the teaching of Welsh in our English-medium schools.

“I would like to thank Tegwen Ellis for her contribution to educational leadership over recent years, particularly in her role as the Chief Executive of the National Academy for Educational Leadership. Her dedication and vision have made a lasting impact on the sector. The professional learning and leadership body will incorporate some of the functions of the National Academy for Educational Leadership alongside a wider range of national professional learning opportunities.”

Dr Gwenllian Lansdown Davies said: “Having spent 11 years in the Welsh-language early years, childcare and play sector, I look forward to starting this new role and making a tangible impact by working alongside the education sector and delivering both local and national priorities.”