ScreenSkills has welcomed two new members to its Board of Trustees, helping to guide organisation under the leadership of its Chair, Lisa Opie. Dr Leon Hawthorne will join the Board in July while Joanna Rwama joined in March, replacing outgoing Chair of FARCOM and Vice-Chair of the Board, Kate Lyndon.
In addition to the new members, Alex Pumfrey, who joined the board in October, has been named Vice Chair of the Board.
The appointments follow those of Sachin Dosani, Sarah Monteith and Stephen O’Donnell in October last year and reflect the governance review ScreenSkills undertook as part of the Board’s commitment to its five-year strategy, launched in October 2024. They are part of an ongoing process to move to a smaller, skills-based board, ensuring it is representative of the strategic future needs of the organisation in terms of sector experience, diversity and location.
Joanna Rwama is COO of Fremantle UK, where she oversees operational strategy, business performance and finance leadership and works across a portfolio of scripted, entertainment, digital and factual productions. Prior to joining Fremantle, Joanna was CFO of BBC Studios Productions, where she was responsible for financial leadership across the company’s global production business. Joanna also chairs the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee for ScreenSkills,
Dr. Leon Hawthorne is a journalist, academic, and media executive based in Wales with over 30 years of experience. He is currently Director of the Master’s Programme in Artificial Intelligence and Digital Media Production at Cardiff University’s School of Journalism, Media, and Culture. He was the Founder and CEO of The Baby Channel, a satellite and cable television network, as well as CEO of several digital lifestyle channels including Beauty Zone, Book Zone, and Theatreland TV. He began his career in television news, serving as a World News Anchor for both CNN International and CNBC Europe.
Lisa Opie, Chair, ScreenSkills, said: “We are incredibly pleased to welcome these great new members to our Board of Trustees. Both Joanna and Leon bring with them vast and varied experience that will help us further support the UK workforce by providing insight into delivering quality, targeted and accessible training. I’d also like to thanks Alex Pumphrey for stepping up as Vice Chair and look forward to working closely with all three in delivering valuable input into ScreenSkills.”
The new members will join the Board to oversee governance, set strategic objectives, ensure alignment with the charity’s mission, manage finances and mitigate risks. Through strategic planning and oversight, the Board maximises ScreenSkills’ impact and remains accountable for all actions, including those of the executive team and the Skills Funds.
