THERE are two new faces at the helm at North Wales’ largest housing association.

Hywel Eifion Jones has been appointed chair of Adra, replacing Mark Jones who stepped down at the end of his four-year tenure earlier this month. He will remain a board member.

Sasha Davies was also elected vice chair.

This new team comes at an exciting time for Adra as it will soon launch its new corporate plan which builds on recent successes and growth, with a strong focus on improving services to tenants, reducing carbon footprint, and providing more affordable homes to local people.

Mr Jones has previously served as a councillor, been a member of Betsi Cadwaladr Heath Board and is a magistrate sitting at Caernarfon. He has served on Adra’s board since early 2019.

“I’m very much looking forward to getting started in the position and playing my part at Adra, as we deliver a first-class service to tenants and residents,” he said.

Sasha Davies, who recently joined Adra as an independent board member, has a strong background in development, regeneration, community development and major projects, and held executive management positions in both public and private sectors. She now runs her own community and business development and stakeholder engagement consultancy.

Sasha said: “Adra plays such a huge part in the lives of so many people in Gwynedd and more recently across North Wales and is at the heart of so many communities.

“I’ve been impressed by the way Adra responded to the recent challenges that came about during the pandemic, adapting overnight to the new way of working and responding to the changing needs of our tenants and hardship many experienced.

“Adra is an important employer in the area, a development partner of choice and a key contributor to the North Wales economy working with local businesses to create better homes and places for our communities. I am looking forward to being part of a company where I can help make a positive difference to people’s lives.”

Ffrancon Williams, chief executive of Adra, said: “I want to offer my sincere thanks to Mark Jones who has been a strong, motivational and dedicated chair for the past four years.

“Under his leadership, Adra has gone from strength to strength, and we are now in a great position to achieve even more in the future.”