DAFYDD GRUFFYDD
Dafydd is the Managing Director of Menter Môn and has worked with the social enterprise for nearly 30 years. He has experience in a wide range of fields, including the economy, food, agriculture, heritage, and language.
Welcome to our new Board
11-strong team to lead into next phase
We're delighted to announce our new Management Board that will lead us into the next exciting phase of our journey.
Chairing the board is Meleri Davies, an experienced leader and one of the most influential voices in the community sector in Wales. Meleri is the former Chief Executive of Partneriaeth Ogwen and one of the founders of Ynni Ogwen.
She is a former director with Ynni Cymunedol Cymru and Cwmni Tabernacl Bethesda Ltd and continues to serve as a volunteer director with Siop Ogwen Cyf and Ynni Ogwen Cyf. She brings a unique combination of experience in leadership, social enterprise, sustainability and governance alongside a clear creative talent as she won the Welsh Poetry Book of the Year Award 2025.
Frân Wen has always championed creativity, courage and community, and I’m proud to be part of its journey. This new board brings a wealth of expertise and energy, and together we are committed to supporting the company’s growth and ambition while keeping young people and Welsh language culture at the heart of everything we do.Meleri Davies, Frân Wen Chair
As we look forward to a new chapter for the company with Meleri, we would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Pryderi ap Rhisart for his inspiring and tireless leadership as Chair over the past four years.
"His vision and commitment have been key to the company’s growth and success during a time of transformation, including the development and realisation of our new home, Nyth. Through his unwavering support for our creative work, Pryderi has inspired and challenged us to reach our full potential and to explore new and innovative ways of creating and collaborating. We are deeply grateful that we will continue to benefit from his experience and enthusiasm as he remains with us as a Director," Nia Jones, Frân Wen Executive Director.
She is joined by a board that brings together extensive experience across the arts, media, education, business, entrepreneurship and public service in Wales.
They include Dafydd Gruffydd (Managing Director Menter Môn), Megan Crew (Drama student and Young Company member), Irfon Jones (former BBC producer), Pryderi ap Rhisart (Managing Director M-SParc), Gari Wyn Jones (Historian and Entrepreneur), Jafar Iqbal (freelance theatre producer), Elen ap Robert (arts consultant), Natasha Nicholls (Head of Arts Programme Management at British Council), Mali Grigg (actor) and Marcel Clusa (Bangor University).
The announcement comes at an exciting time for us, following the opening of our new creative home Nyth in Bangor and a growing national reputation for developing innovative theatre that amplifies new voices and Welsh stories.
MEGAN CREW
Megan first joined Frân Wen on a GCSE work experience placement and returned in Year 13 as part of the Young Company, soon joining the board. She is now studying Drama at the University of Exeter, continuing to explore theatre-making and performance.
IRFON JONES
Irfon has just retired after a 40 year career in radio and television. He has worked in the independent sector and for the BBC.
PRYDERI AP RHISART
Pryderi is Managing Director of M-SParc, a community of over 80 businesses and the main delivery partner for Business Wales in Wales. Under his leadership, M-SParc has become a hub for exciting clusters in energy, digital, creative, and agri-tech, driving innovation and collaboration across North Wales.
GARI WYN JONES
Gari has been a Frân Wen board member since 2017. He is the founder and successful owner of Ceir Cymru, a well-respected car sales garage in North West Wales. Gari is a passionate local historian and active community member in Bangor, contributing to initiatives such as the Bangor University Community Fund and collaborating on cultural projects with Frân Wen and Partneriaeth Ogwen.
JAFAR IQBAL
Jafar is a theatre producer with over 20 years of experience in the arts, and has recently founded JHOOM, the first South Asian-focused theatre company in Welsh history.
ELEN AP ROBERT
Elen has worked in the arts for over twenty years. First as an opera singer, then as a music therapist, and more recently as the founding Artistic Director of both Galeri and Pontio. She now works freelance as an arts consultant and is co-owner of Llofft bar, cafe and kitchen in Y Felinheli.
NATASHA NICHOLLS
Natasha is Head of Arts Programme Management for the British Council and has over 20 years experience working with the UK and International Arts sectors having begun her career as a Stage Manager for Welsh theatre companies.
MALI GRIGG
Mali is an actor with strong links to Fran Wen, where they are a valued member of both the Young Company and the Young Associates programme.
MARCEL CLUSA
Marcel is an International Student Support Officer at Bangor University, originally from Barcelona, who completed an MSc in Marine Environmental Protection and a PhD in Sea Turtle Conservation. Since May 2016 he’s been supporting international students with immigration, welfare and events, and leads sustainability-oriented projects such as Internationals Go Green at Bangor.
