Trust: the infrastructure on which our economy operates
“I promise to pay the bearer on demand the sum of ten pounds”, reads the creased tenner in my wallet.…
Huw Thomas is a trustee of the Centre for Local Economies (CLES), bringing extensive experience across public, private and third‑sector finance and governance. Raised in Pontsian near Llandysul, he later returned to West Wales to work for the Hywel Dda University Health Board, where he now serves as director of finance and acts as the trustee’s financial representative on the Health Board’s charities.
Huw began his career with PricewaterhouseCoopers in London, Bristol and Cardiff, initially serving banking clients before specialising in advisory work for the NHS, local authorities and voluntary‑sector organisations. He subsequently held senior financial roles within the NHS in both England and Wales, including at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board.
A chartered accountant, he has also been a trustee of the Healthcare Financial Management Association, chairing its Wales branch, and holds an honorary professorship at Aberystwyth University.
Passionate about strengthening local communities, Huw champions the collective power of local institutions, health equity, and the use of impact measurement to drive meaningful change – values that closely align with CLES’s mission.