Debra becomes Welsh rugby’s first female director

Businesswoman Debra Williams has become the first female appointed a director of a Welsh Region after joining the Ospreys.

The Neath-born Williams joins Llandarcy Park (Ospreys) Ltd, the club’s holding company, as a non-executive director, and Ospreys chairman Geoff Atherton has welcomed her appointment in the long-term interests of the Region.

A passionate rugby fan, Williams has supported Neath at The Gnoll since a young age, and brings a huge business acumen, that includes stints as managing director of Confused.com and a director of Tesco Compare, as well as a love of the sport to the table.

“I suppose it is [a man’s world],” she said of stepping in to rugby at director level. “But then I’ve spent most of my career working in financial services so I’m quite used to working in a male-dominated environment, and I’m very comfortable with that.

“It has its perks. I do get to spend time with the players, and I do get to meet them and their families and get to meet the men behind the rugby.

“I was born and bred in Neath and [my father] used to take myself and my sister very frequently to watch Neath, so I’ve been brought up with rugby. And when the Regions were formed almost 10 years ago I started becoming a fan of the Ospreys and of my local club Neath.”

Williams was named the Welsh Woman of the Year for Innovation in 2006, and is widely considered one of the country’s leading businesswomen. She was named one of the UK’s Top 200 businesswomen by the Queen in 2007, and will join the board in an advisory capacity.

Under her leadership, Confused.com became one of the country’s leading aggregator sites with profits of £36m, and the Ospreys will be hoping she can help grow their brand in a similar fashion.

Mr Atherton added of her appointment: “While we already have individuals on board with both business and rugby expertise, it is important to recognise that we do not hold all the answers, and as such, the appointment of Debra is a huge stride forward.

“She brings her undoubted commercial expertise to the organisation, along with an outstanding business track record, and has a big role to play as we move forward, offering strategic and tactical advice to the board.”