Postcomm welcomes Wanda Goldwag as new commissioner

7 April 2005

The Postal Services Commission (Postcomm) is delighted that the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has appointed Ms Wanda Goldwag as one of its commissioners. Ms Goldwag takes up her appointment in mid-April and replaces Julia Kaufmann, whose term with the commission ends in May.

Wanda has more than 20 years’ experience in direct marketing, and started her career at Yves Rocher, the multi-national cosmetics company. Since then, she has held senior posts at Fidelity Investment Management, direct marketing agencies WWAV and Smith Bundy, Thorn EMI, Thomas Cook, and the British Airways-owned Air Miles loyalty scheme, where she was executive director.

Wanda Goldwag is currently a part-time adviser to Smedvig Venture Capital on marketing investments. She joined the company in May 2000 and is also responsible for investment and management at some of the Smedvig’s businesses, including PDV – a marketing organisation that runs online games - where she is executive chair.

In addition, Ms Goldwag is:

  • Non-executive director of the Performing Right Society, which collects licence fees for the public performance and broadcast of musical works.
  • Director of two training companies – Challenge Consultancy Ltd and Learning Resources International Ltd.
  • Executive chair of Goldwag Empson and Otitoju Ltd, the loyalty services agency.

In welcoming Ms Goldwag to the Postal Services Commission, its chairman, Nigel Stapleton, said:

“Wanda is joining Postcomm at a very important time, because over the next several months, we shall be preparing for the full opening of the postal market to competition on 1 January 2006, and finalising the next Royal Mail price and service quality control. Our ability to handle this challenging workload will be much enhanced by the marketing skills and the business experience – both big and small - that Wanda will bring to the commission.”

He also thanked Julia Kaufmann for her contribution to Postcomm’s work:

”We wish Julia Kaufmann every success for the future. She has made a valuable contribution to our work over the past five years.”

Notes for Editors 

Postcomm’s policies are steered by a board of seven commissioners, headed by the chairman, Nigel Stapleton. Other commissioners are:

  • Sarah Chambers (who works full-time for Postcomm as its chief executive)
  • Robin Aaronson
  • Simone Bos
  • Tony Cooper
  • Julia Kaufmann (who is to be replaced by Wanda Goldwag).
  • Janet Lewis-Jones

Commissioners are independent non-executives with a duty to serve the interests of the commission as a whole, working under the leadership of the chair. The members of the commission jointly ensure, through setting policy and through oversight of the executive management by the chief executive, that the commission discharges its responsibilities effectively and efficiently.

This is a part-time appointment involving 3-4 days work a month.  The remuneration is £20,000 per annum. The appointment is for an initial term of three years.

All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process.  However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees’ political activity (if any declared) to be made public.

Wanda Goldwag has not undertaken any political activity in the past five years. She holds no other UK public appointments.