Professor Pedr ap Llwyd

Pedr is the former Chief Executive and Librarian of the National Library of Wales (2019–2024), having previously served as the Library’s Director of Collections. During his time at the helm, he led major advances in digital access, heritage preservation, and public engagement. His overriding priority was to democratise access to knowledge and information, opening Wales’s national documentary heritage to all — with a particular focus on reaching disadvantaged and under-represented individuals and communities across the country. He also advanced the Library’s contribution to digital scholarship, making its resources accessible to researchers worldwide. His leadership saw the creation of the Wales Broadcast Archive, the first national broadcast archive in the United Kingdom.

Pedr is passionate about extending legal deposit across all Welsh universities, rather than restricting it solely to the National Library in Aberystwyth, to promote research, learning, and innovation throughout Wales.

A strong advocate for Welsh culture, language, and education, he has been recognised as a Changemaker by the Future Generations Commissioner  and holds honorary distinctions from the National Eisteddfod and the University of Wales Trinity Saint David.

He currently serves as a Non-Executive Director of the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol and as a member of the Wales Heritage Lottery Committee, supporting the growth of higher and further education and heritage initiatives across Wales.