His Majesty The King has approved the appointments of Tony Harking and Sarah Pittam as Lay Commissioners of the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) for 3 years commencing 1 October 2025.
His Majesty has also approved the appointment of Siwan Davies as Lay Commissioner of the JAC with responsibility for Welsh matters for 3 years commencing 1 December 2025.
The JAC is an independent body that selects candidates for judicial office in courts and tribunals in England and Wales, and for some tribunals with a UK-wide jurisdiction.
JAC Commissioners are appointed, under Schedule 12(1) of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005, by His Majesty The King on the recommendation of the Lord Chancellor.
These appointments were made in accordance with Regulation 9 of the Judicial Appointment Commission Regulations 2013.
Biographies
Tony Harking
Tony Harking was commissioned into the Royal Engineers and served for 35 years in a wide variety of roles and Theatres including the Gurkhas. He then spent 5 years in Industry working on training projects before spending 6 years as the Under Treasurer(Chief Executive) of the Honourable Society of Gray’s Inn.
Sarah Pittam
Sarah Pittam is a Civil Service Commissioner, independent Non-Executive Director and governance specialist. Within the state-funded and independent education sector, she has advised on operations, finance, stakeholder management, governance and capital projects. She has worked with and for the Department for Education, academy trusts, local authorities and independent schools’ groups. She is on the Interviewing Committee for the INSEAD Louis Franck Scholarship Award and has previously been a trustee of The Knowledge Schools Trust and Bourne Education Trust, where she Chaired the Audit and Risk Committee. She has also chaired the Children’s Trust Board in a Local Authority and held other governance roles following her earlier career in consulting.
Siwan Davies
After a distinguished international career in parliamentary service, Siwan Davies has a portfolio career. Her expertise is strategic leadership in political environments, with a focus on governance, ethical leadership and organisational change. Siwan has extensive experience of statutory and senior appointments, Welsh matters, and has been the non-legal director of lawyers in different organisations. A native Welsh speaker, she lives in west Wales.