There was a feast of festive fun and football as local business leaders gathered for one of the calendar’s key networking events.
The North Wales branch of the Institute of Directors (IoD) hosted its annual Christmas lunch, with high-profile sporting figures Noel Mooney and Kelly Davies providing expert insight at the Wynnstay Arms in Ruabon.
Noel, CEO of the Football Association of Wales, and Kelly, chair of the Cymru Football Foundation, led discussions about the future of the game in the country, and how they are aiming to be a leading light on and off the pitch.
Talk centred around recent successes with Wales women making history by qualifying for a major tournament – Euro 2025 – for the first time, whilst Wales men were promoted to Group A of the Nations League.
The duo also spoke about engaging players from grassroots to professional level, as well as their goals for driving the organisation forward from a social and financial perspective.
Chair of IoD North Wales David Roberts said: “It was fascinating to hear about the journey both Noel and Kelly have been on in their careers, as well as the current state of play when it comes to football in this country.
“Hearing them discuss how they want to drive the sport forward, both in terms of successes on the field and from a community perspective, was an eye-opener.
“Those in business can often have tunnel vision in terms of growth from a turnover or employee number point of view, whereas both the FAW and the Cymru Football Foundation are working together to help improve the wellbeing of those at all levels.”
Noel and Kelly took to the stage as part of a Q+A session after Ken Skates MS, the Welsh Government cabinet secretary for transport and North Wales, and Tony Fish, the Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) regional employer engagement director for the Reserve Forces and Cadets Association for Wales, had spoken.
Member of the Senedd Ken touched on the impressive work being done by Wrexham AFC, spoke about Ruabon – a place he calls home – and outlined his immediate aims as a government minister.
Tony gave an impassioned speech about the desire to see more young people join the five cadet forces and the associated benefits for those that do, which include learning valuable life skills.
David, who also runs the North East Wales branch of advisory service The Alternative Board (TAB), added: “It was great to hear from Ken and Tony, who both genuinely have the region’s best interests at heart.
“Speaking with a couple of people after the event, Tony’s section on the cadets, in particular, really hit home and provided plenty of food for thought when it comes to life lessons learned and the impact organisations can have on shaping individuals.”
David also showcased the IoD’s inaugural State of the Nation for Wales publication, which will be produced on an annual basis to health check the country’s economy, allowing the organisation to benchmark around key trends and topic that emerge.
