Stuart Davies qualified as an Environmental Health Officer, and for 17 years regulated standards across a number of specialist areas, honing the range of professional and inter-personal skills necessary for the successful application and enforcement of major legislation. He was responsible for the preparation of multiple legal cases and undertook a number of high-profile prosecutions, whilst working closely with elected members and senior officers within the Authority.
A change of sector then saw him taking a position as Director of Development with Group Gwalia, creating a new team that had responsibility for all new housing, care, support and commercial developments. He devised a new business strategy that saw the successful delivery of a major grant funded build programme, re-establishing the housing association as a developer of repute.
A position as Executive Director with the association followed, with responsibility for a £10m repairs, maintenance and estate services budget for 10,000 properties being added to a £23m development programme within a now £50m turnover organisation.
He reported to a number of committees as well as the main board, always recognising the importance of shaping operational activity to deliver against policy and strategic intent. He managed multi-million pound tender processes, reshaped services and led on extensive change, whilst establishing strong relationships with key stakeholders.
His highest profile role though, was that of Chief Executive Officer of the then Newport Gwent Dragons, one of Wales’ four professional rugby teams, where he had responsibility for rugby and all financial, commercial and operational matters associated with the team and the venue.
He was a member of the Professional Regional Game Board that oversees Welsh Rugby at elite level, as well as sitting on Professional Rugby Wales (the regions’ representative organisation) and the Guinness Pro 14’s Chief Executives’ Committee.
Stuart orchestrated a key moment in the region’s history, identifying the need to separate the Dragons from the group structure, and formulating a strategy for delivery. He led the Board through many financial and procedural considerations, and fronted the whole process, whilst maintaining ‘business as usual’ against a background of uncertainty, speculation, media scrutiny and contentious stakeholder meetings. Transformational and historic change was achieved, and professional rugby sustained in East Wales.
After leaving the world of professional rugby, he returned to development, taking on a Business Development Director position with Morganstone, a South Wales based contractor/developer and one of Wales’ most successful and fast-growing companies in recent years, ahead of starting his own consultancy.
Throughout his professional life, he was also either playing or covering rugby at the highest level, and you can read more about this if you wish on the ‘Rugby’ page.