Senior Management

Gareth Pierce

Chief Executive

Gareth Pierce joined WJEC in 2004, having previously worked here as a Research Officer in the early 1980s.  Gareth takes a strong interest in curriculum and assessment innovation, as well as providing an overall strategic management steer for WJEC. He is always pleased to be contacted by individuals and organisations who are users of WJEC's services (gareth.pierce@wjec.co.uk)

In the early stages of his career Gareth worked as a statistician in housing and health sectors, and as head of mathematics in a comprehensive school. He was subsequently a senior lecturer at the University of Glamorgan Business School, a head of education policy for the Welsh Local Government Association,  and a senior manager at Trinity College, Carmarthen. 

Gareth represents the JCQ awarding bodies on the HE Partnership for Admissions and is a member of the Welsh Assembly Government's 14-19 Extended Network.  He is an Associate Lecturer in Statistics with the Open University and a member of the governing body of the University of Wales.  

Gareth represented Welsh Universities during his rugby career and his current leisure interests include cycling, skiing and mountaineering.

Derec Stockley

Director of Examinations and Assessment

Derec Stockley joined WJEC in 1989, initially as subject officer for modern foreign languages and Welsh Second Language.  In 1993 Derec became Principal Manager (Welsh-medium examinations) and added Welsh First Language to his portfolio of subjects. 

Derec was promoted to the post of Assistant Director (Compliance) in 1999 and he became Director of Examinations and Assessment in 2001.  As well as having a strategic overview of all matters relating to examinations and assessment, he is also keenly aware of all operational issues.

Derec's teaching career prior to joining WJEC included periods as Head of French at two Welsh-medium schools, as well as a period at the University of Brest in Brittany.  While teaching he was an active member of the teachers' association of Wales, UCAC. 

Derec's leisure interests include reading, walking, swimming, DIY and gardening, particularly at the family home in Brittany.

Bob Rees

Director of ICT and Print Services

Bob Rees has worked in the IT industry for over 35 years. He worked in the commercial and industrial sector for eight years, including two years in New Zealand and Australia, before moving to local government with Mid Glamorgan County Council.

Bob joined WJEC as its first IT Manager in 1983, completely overhauling the examinations system to accommodate the introduction of GCSEs in 1988.  The system he developed for his MSc dissertation in 1996 earned over £30,000 over a ten year period, and led to an invitation to work part-time as an independent consultant for DfES in 2000, advising on streamlining data collection systems for the league tables in England.  When this was completed, he was seconded to the Welsh Assembly Government to launch the information management strategy for education.  This included the introduction of UPNs (Unique Pupil Numbers), PLASC (Pupil Level Annual School Census), common data definitions and XML (Extensible Mark-up Language) schemas. 

Since returning to WJEC, Bob has taken a more strategic lead on both ICT-based solutions and reprographic services and is currently focused on the expansion of web-based systems throughout WJEC.