John Union joins the Board of Velindre University NHS Trust

3 October 2025

Velindre University NHS Trust is pleased to announce the appointment of John Union as its new Independent Member (Finance).

John has a highly respected corporate banking background with a long career at Barclays Bank, where he held several senior roles including Head of Wales, Corporate Banking. 

He currently holds roles, including Non-Executive Director at Swansea Building Society, where he is Deputy Chairman and has served as an Independent Member (Finance) at Cardiff and Vale University Health Board for the past eight years.

Speaking of the new appointment, John said: 

"I am delighted to join the Velindre University NHS Trust, and I look forward to working with the Board and meeting with colleagues across the Trust in the coming weeks and months. I am grateful to have been given the opportunity to serve as an Independent Member Finance of the Trust."

The Trust’s Board exists to oversee the system of governance and control, including risk management. This means that the board make decisions on how things run and how to keep staff and patients safe. They do so by meeting in many different groups focused on separate areas of the trust’s operations, known as ‘committees.’

As an independent member, John's role will be to contribute his skills and expertise across a wide range of areas. His extensive experience in financial governance and strategic leadership will bring a number of benefits to Velindre University NHS Trust.

John began in his role this week and will attend his first Trust Board meeting on Thursday 27 November.