Meet the board

The board, along with the Managing Director and Service Quality Director, prepare Thera South West for the future whilst ensuring the quality of what we do every day.

Christopher Evans

Chairperson

Chris Evans joined the Thera South West board as a non-executive director in September 2016 and became chair in April 2017. Chris was formerly a deputy director in the Department for Work and Pensions. He also works as a volunteer at his local Citizens Advice Bureau.

Graham Belgum

Independent Director

Graham Belgum served for 23 years as an engineer in the British Army, being responsible for all the Army’s Challenger Main Battle Tanks, being a Company Commander at Sandhurst and a member of the directing staff at Staff College. After retiring as Lieutenant Colonel, Graham worked within business development for First Group PLC overseeing their turnaround centred on improving reliability of 9,600 bus fleet across 100 depots.

Before joining Thera in 2018, Graham was appointed President (and then CEO) of Optare to lead their transformation and electrification program. Graham has now moved on and runs his own ‘green’ business called Journey Green Ltd, helping companies on their journey to Net Zero. Graham is Thera South West's Independent Director helping grow company membership and develop future leaders with learning disabilities so that those we support determine their own quality of life and have a ‘great life’.

Peter Hawkins

Non Executive Director

My name is Peter Hawkins and I come from Weymouth. I joined Thera as a Non-Executive Director three years ago and I enjoy my role. My hobbies are playing the piano and socialising with my friends. I really like to be involved with helping people with a learning disability.

Sue Wotruba

Non-Executive Director

Sue’s early career was in the IT industry holding senior HR roles for IBM UK and SAP UK. She later moved into consultancy working on organisational development and change for Accenture, Crane Davies and Penna plc.
Sue now runs her own consultancy business working with senior leaders and their teams to build individual and collective capability and capacity. She is a fellow of the CIPD, a member of the British Psychological Society and a qualified Executive and Team Coach.

Rohan Byles

Non-Executive Director

Rohan has more than fifteen years’ experience developing contracting and employment solutions for the labour supply chain, from Finance and Operations to Software Development and Implementation. Rohan founded successful businesses in events, technology and payroll, and supported construction, recruitment and payroll businesses through periods of rapid growth.

Rohan currently serves as CFO for the RCADA Group, a business he co-founded, which specialises in umbrella, PEO and outsourced payroll, and small business accounting.

Rohan is a keen open-water swim, completing the Channel Crossing in 2016.