An ex-professional rugby player from Machen has been named a founding patron of GlobalWelsh – a not-for-profit organisation that aims to connect Welsh expats across the world.
David Wright, who played for Pontypool, Cardiff, Leicester and Nottingham, is currently CEO of Paris-based pharmaceutical firm HRA Pharma.
Other founding patrons of GlobalWelsh include Rolls-Royce CEO Warren East and Admiral Group CEO David Stevens, as well as David Buttress, ex-CEO of JustEat UK.
Mr Wright, 55, is investing in the organisation and said: “Having spent most of my adult life living and working in other countries, I know the longing you feel to connect back to Wales.
“GlobalWelsh is giving me and other diaspora around the world a platform to do this.
“For aspiring young people, being part of the GlobalWelsh community is becoming an invaluable source of knowledge and connections that can help them maintain their relationship with Wales, wherever their lives or careers may take them.”
Mr Wright, who left Wales in 1990, added: “With the changes in international relations and continuing globalisation, GlobalWelsh is both timely and necessary.”
The organisation is a not-for-profit, privately funded grassroots movement which currently has members in 47 countries, including the USA, Australia, Brazil, Argentina, Japan, Somalia, Canada and Sweden.
GlobalWelsh founder and CEO, Walter May, said: “It’s a pleasure to have someone as dynamic, successful and globally recognised as David on board.
“He’s proof that as a nation we have exported a lot of world class talent, many of which have reached a point in their lives, careers, when they are looking to connect and give back.
“Part of our role is to find them and give them the means to do this. I have no doubt the value that David has to offer our community and thank him for his generosity and support so far.”