Chief executive of gas infrastructure business Wales & West Utilities Graham Edwards has received an OBE in the New Year’s Honours list for services to business and the community in Wales.
Mr Edwards, who left school without any qualifications before rising to the top of one of the biggest-revenue businesses in Wales, has been a passionate advocate for providing opportunities to people from all backgrounds to help them realise their potential.
A former chairman of CBI Wales, where he remains on its council, Mr Edwards is also a former chair of “business for good” charity Business in the Community Cymru. He also represented the interests of Wales on the UK boards of both these organisations.
He was appointed chief executive of Newport-headquartered Wales & West Utilities in 2004 and has since steered it to become one of Wales’ largest and most successful companies. The business has also been consistently recognised as a leading company across the UK energy sector.
He has also served on the board of other major organisations over the past eight years – notably Welsh Water and the University of South Wales.
In his time as chair of Business in the Community Cymru he was instrumental in raising the profile of businesses working within communities – and his own business has itself been awarded Wales Responsible Business of the Year for its activities undertaken with communities across Wales.
Mr Edwards has also consistently advocated close working relationships between the private and public sectors in Wales. He was for a number of years a member of the Employment & Skills Board – the government-sponsored entity overseeing employment and development strategies aimed at increasing employment and skills across Wales.
Wales & West Utilities, whose network provides gas supplies to 7.5 million across Wales and the south-west of England, said in a statement: “Given his early background of leaving school with no qualifications and his subsequent route to the top of business, Graham has always been passionate about providing opportunities for individuals at all levels to be the best that they can.
“We congratulate Graham on his award and the recognition for what he and our business has contributed to Wales.”
