Giles Thorley

Giles joined the organisation in April 2016 with the objective of creating and launching the Development Bank of Wales, a project successfully completed in October 2017.

Prior to this role, Giles spent five years as a partner at the private equity firm TDR Capital LLP, focusing on deal origination. Before that, he spent nine years with Punch Taverns plc - initially serving as executive chair for the first year, and subsequently as chief executive following the company’s IPO.

He is currently Chair of Intelli Park, a parking technology business and has held a number of other non-executive director positions in his career. Giles served as chair of ZipWorld plc for five years until the sale of the business in February 2025. In addition, he acts as a consultant and angel investor for a number of business start-ups and is a long-serving trustee of The Rona Sailing Project.

Giles holds a law degree from the University of London and qualified as a barrister in 1990.

Current Chair, Director and Trustee roles