New Celtic Freeport Chief Executive pays a visit to Neath Port Talbot

The first permanent Chief Executive of the Celtic Freeport, Luciana Ciubotariu, has paid a visit to Neath Port Talbot before officially taking up her new role in May.

Luciana, formerly part of the senior management team of the Thames Freeport, was welcomed to Port Talbot Civic Centre on April 10th, 2024, by Neath Port Talbot Council Leader, Cllr Steve Hunt and the council’s Chief Executive, Karen Jones.

Luciana’s appointment was confirmed last month.

Cllr Hunt said: “I was delighted to welcome Luciana to Neath Port Talbot and look forward to collaborating with her and the rest of the Celtic Freeport team in building a green energy corridor across south west Wales.”

Karen Jones added: “Luciana is definitely the right person to head the Celtic Freeport having the background, vision and ambition to ensure the truly transformational potential of the Freeport is fully realised for our communities, businesses and also the wider Wales economy.” 

 The Celtic Freeport is a public-private consortium whose partners include Associated British Ports (ABP), Neath Port Talbot Council, Pembrokeshire County Council and the Port of Milford Haven, alongside renewables developers, energy companies, industrial complexes, innovation assets, academic institutions and education providers.

It covers the ports of Milford Haven and Port Talbot and spans clean energy developments such as floating offshore wind, innovation work, fuel terminals, a power station, heavy engineering and the steel industry across south west Wales.

Alongside the significant leadership appointment of making Luciana Ciubotariu its first permanent Chief Executive, the Celtic Freeport has completed the first major part of its development journey, with the submission of an outline business case to the Welsh and UK Governments.

To mark this move from bid to development and, eventually, operational phase, the Freeport has overhauled its digital presence, with a new website and social media channels (LinkedInX and YouTube).

Pictured are Karen Jones (L), Luciana Ciubotariu and Cllr Steve Hunt.