David Davies

David is a qualified solicitor, trained therapist and self-made entrepreneur. He has worked almost exclusively in businesses that he has either owned outright or in partnership with other individuals.

He has always seen people as the most important of any assets in a balance sheet. Passion for bringing the right people together to form the right teams is at the heart of his approach.

Startups, growth management and turnarounds are at the core of what he has done for the last 25 years.

Finance, Start Up and Turn Around Funding, Business Plans, Legal and Intellectual Property, Marketing, Mentoring, Wellbeing, Life Coaching and Connection are some of the areas that he can advise upon, whilst at the same time, encouraging all to find clarity and opportunity out of the chaos – that sometimes must be created – before finding the right solutions.

David brings lived experience of business startups, business sales, business restructures, financial planning, aggressive business growth, connecting with the right professionals and maintain the right work life balance. Degrees in Law & Economics, Systemic Therapy and in life has given him unique insight into the arenas of business and wellbeing.

David is Chair of the Welsh Mental Health Charity Gofal, past Chair and non-Executive Director of Gofal’s Social Enterprise subsidiary, Gofal Enterprise Limited. He is a Mentor at Business Wales and has experience of the Private, Public, Social Enterprise and 3rd Sector.

David has:

  • Set up and managed a successful legal practice offering Commercial advice regionally
  • Turned around a small packaging Company into a major UK suppler to the personal Care Industry growing the revenue from 1999 of £175,000 to £10.5 million and 10% EBIT in 1996 and creating over 80 new full time jobs in South Wales.
  • Introduced Venture Capital investment in a business before selling it to a UK International PLC. The company is still based in Wales and employing circa 100 people.
  • Acquired, redesigned and branded a small country pub in Monmouthshire Wales – The Newbridge on Usk.
  • Managed Head Chef (Welsh Chef of the year), operations manager and financial staff of The Newbridge growing the business from zero to £750,000 over a period of 4 years creating over 30 part and full-time jobs.
  • Negotiated the sale of The Newbridge to Chris Evans (Radio 2) for a profit on cost of circa 300%) The business is now owned and managed by The Celtic Manor Resort.
  • Created and managed a Joint Venture for the supply of packaging across Europe
  • Managed the growth of a packaging business from Greenfield manufacturing facility with zero turnover in 1999 to circa €40 million in 2009 creating over 100 new full-time jobs
  • Been a part of the Executive team that drove an International business growth from $45.8 million profitable turnover in 1999 to $200 million of profitable turnover in 2009.
  • Negotiated Joint Ventures with major suppliers and packaging partners in Europe, Russia, South Africa and the Far East…
  • Directed and managed the setting up and growth of a Greenfield manufacturing facility in Johannesburg, South Africa creating over 100 new full-time jobs.
  • Negotiated multimillion multiyear supply contracts with various international customers including Heineken, SAB Miller, InBev, Diageo, Bacardi, Coca Cola, Pepsi Cola and Procter & Gamble
  • Interfaced at senior levels with Banks and Venture Capital providers and their lawyers, accountants and other business providers in company acquisitions, mergers and sales.
  • C0-founded Two Fat Men Limited and its subsidiaries Kin+Ilk that opened three Café Bars in Cardiff.
  • Been a Non-Executive Director and immediate past chair of Gofal Enterprise Limited, a Social Enterprise business owned by Gofal, who won deal of the year in 2017 Social Enterprise UK awards.
  • Chaired and is a Trustee of Gofal the leading Welsh mental health charity helping them to set up a Wellbeing Centre in Cardiff.