Principality Building Society
none
Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom
3K followers
500+ connections
3K followers
500+ connections
About
Highly motivated values led Executive with strong commercial acumen. Extensive…
Activity
3K followers
-
Rob Regan shared thisRecognition I think of the criticality of grass roots participants to underpin the future of the elite game. At face value this looks like a very positive intervention for a sustainable future in the English game. Nothing evident in the current WRU - Welsh Rugby Union strategy of this nature. We believe the lack of focus on how to enable community rugby to thrive poses a huge risk but massively positive opportunity for Welsh Rugby.Rob Regan shared thisNEW ROLES 🏉 It's an exciting time for the community game. We have an ambition to increase player registrations by 50,000 people by 2030 and to have more people playing rugby for longer. One of the ways we are planning to unlock this growth is by creating seven Regional Growth Partnership Boards tasked with driving participation, building partnerships, and securing funding opportunities within their region. We're also growing the team of people working across the country with clubs, constituent bodies, referee societies, education partners and professional game partners. Check out our current vacancies supporting the community game: National Fundraising Manager - https://lnkd.in/eT3SJF3E Regional Fundraising Manager(s)- https://lnkd.in/eT3SJF3E Safeguarding Development Officer(s) - https://lnkd.in/ewsXKB4i Keep an eye out on LinkedIn and the England Rugby careers site, as more roles will be advertised in the coming weeks.
-
Rob Regan shared thisDoes this sound like investing in high performance 🧐Rob Regan shared thisTIME FOR A “LITTLE BOY”TO ASK ABOUT THE NAKED EMPEROR The recent recruitment of Advanced Coaching Mentors by the Welsh Rugby Union highlights a concerning misalignment between stated performance ambitions and value placed on the people responsible for delivering them This role is positioned as pivotal to the future of Welsh rugby, shaping advanced coaches, influencing player development, and strengthening the national pathway. The expectations are not superficial; they require individuals with significant coaching experience, emotional intelligence, system awareness, and the ability to operate as high-level reflective practitioners. In any high-performance system, this is specialist work Yet the proposed remuneration, an honorarium of £300 per coach across a multi-month engagement involving mentoring sessions, observation, evaluation, and cohort collaboration, does not reflect the expertise required, the time commitment involved, or the strategic importance of the role ❌Framing this level of contribution as voluntary or symbolic risks undermining the very standards the programme seeks to uphold ✅High-performance mentoring is not an add-on. It is a cornerstone capability within leading rugby systems. The Rugby Football Union have increasingly professionalised coach development environments, recognising that the quality of mentorship directly impacts coaching behaviours, alignment to game models, and ultimately international performance. These systems invest accordingly, not just financially, but structurally, ensuring mentors are selected, developed, and resourced as critical contributors, not peripheral volunteers The risk for Welsh Rugby is clear. When roles of this significance are undervalued, the system limits its access to its most capable people Experienced practitioners - those with the scars, judgement, and contextual understanding the role demands, are less likely to engage meaningfully under these conditions Over time, this creates a dilution of expertise within the development pathway, with downstream consequences for coaching quality and player outcomes This is not about comparing pay scales in isolation. It is about signalling. Remuneration reflects priority. Priority reflects strategy If mentoring is genuinely seen as “the bedrock of our legacy,” then it must be treated as such, through appropriate investment, clear role definition, and integration into a coherent high-performance framework 🫵🏻There is an opportunity here. Recalibrate how mentor roles are positioned, from informal support to recognised high-performance function, the WRU can strengthen alignment across its pathway, rebuild credibility with experienced coaches, and accelerate the development of the next generation ⁉️If Welsh Rugby is serious about competing with the best systems, it cannot afford to under-resource the people who develop its coaches. #WelshRugby #WRU #ValueCoaching https://lnkd.in/dQ6zEJTk
-
Rob Regan shared thisBig East v West rivalry in the Cardiff sunshine. A proper community derby and a reminder of what Welsh rugby is really built on. Two sides at different ends of the table! Glamorgan Wanderers were excellent. They played with real pace, sharp handling and a confidence that comes from a strong season. They fully deserved their convincing win and the quality showed. Rumney are on a different journey. After a very difficult summer with off field challenges and a player exodus the club is rebuilding and relying on community graft rather than benefactor support. They still scored four good tries, leaving a couple more out there and kept fighting right to the final whistle. Some strong forward play and big hits in close quarters. That spirit says everything about the people around the club. A vital try bonus point in a scrap for survival. There is also the pathway story at both clubs. Growth in Girls game and strong Minis, juniors and youth teams training every week, giving young people a place to grow and stay connected to the game. That is where the future of Welsh rugby begins. Rumney once 2 time back to back Welsh Youth cup winners and Always strong junior sections but transition to senior rugby with no 2nd team is a massive issue. From 5 senior sides to 1 in 30 years. It’s a very different set of challenges. The challenges we have been working through at WRU level are the same ones clubs feel on the ground. Rising costs. Falling revenues. Governance that has not kept pace. Pressure everywhere you look. Competing for kids attention and parents scarce resources. Overly depended on benefactors and goodwill. Supported by £25m of free volunteer time. But days like this show the strength that still exists in our communities. People who care. People who turn up. People who keep rugby alive for the next generation. #WelshRugby #CommunityRugby #Cardiff #GrassrootsSport #RugbyFamily #VolunteerPower #YouthRugby #RugbyPathway #WRU #SportGovernance This is Welsh rugby. Not perfect. Not easy. But full of heart.
-
Rob Regan shared thisCould this idea be part of a solution to strengthen the community game that is producing future Lions 🦁? The kids all start at community clubs, increasingly so as school rugby continues to decline. Over the past 3 months everyone I have spoken to in the game recognises the critical role parents play in keeping community clubs going. How can we massively ramp up support for coaches and raise standards without materially increasing the volunteers burden? We need a bottom up solution to Coaching quality alongside the top down elite focus. Kids arrive into pathways with potential but how much more effective could academies be if we can get more quality coaching support interventions much earlier? Kingsley Jones Andy Moore what’s the answer? Affordable, sustainable support of the right quality for community club coaches? Schools rugby? #welshrugby #communityrugby #volunteers #rugbycoachingRob Regan shared thisOver the past few months, we’ve been building something we’re incredibly passionate about with AP8 Academy. Founded by former British & Irish Lion & Welsh International Andy Powell, the academy is built on a simple idea: 👉 Give young players access to high-quality coaching 👉 Build confidence, skills, and love for the game 👉 Support — not replace — grassroots rugby clubs We are proud to be part of a high-quality coaching team, working alongside experienced, professional coaches to deliver sessions that are engaging, energetic, and built around player development. 🏉 Why I Started AP8 Academy My eldest son started playing rugby at our local club at six. I didn’t pick up a rugby ball myself until I was 14, so seeing him start young was something I was really proud of. He loved the game but like many grassroots environments, coaching is often delivered by volunteers, usually parents giving up their time. Without them, where would our clubs be? They do an incredible job and are vital to the game. But I noticed something. My son (and many other children) weren’t always being taught the correct techniques. Not through lack of effort, but simply because those coaching haven’t had access to elite-level experience. I didn’t want him picking up bad habits. More importantly, every child deserves the opportunity to be coached properly from the start. That’s where AP8 Academy came from. It’s about giving young players high-quality coaching, building confidence, and developing the right habits early, while supporting grassroots clubs. Because the stronger our junior sections, the stronger our clubs become. 🚀 Summer 2026 & Beyond We’re planning a minimum of 20+ rugby camps across the UK in each year, working with clubs and reaching thousands of young players. We’re already seeing the impact: 🏉 Players developing faster 🏉 Clubs gaining new energy 🏉 Communities coming together 🤝 We’re now looking to partner with the right sponsors Not just businesses looking for exposure — but those who genuinely want to: ✔ Support grassroots sport ✔ Invest in youth development ✔ Be part of something growing nationwide This is a chance to put your brand in front of rugby communities, families, and a strong, engaged network. 💡 Sponsorship Opportunities • Camp Sponsors (Summer 2026) • Headline Sponsors (through to May 2027) 👉 If you’d like to receive our sponsorship packages or discuss how we can work together, please get in touch. We’re building this the right way, with quality, energy, and real impact. If you’re interested in being part of the journey, feel free to drop me a message. 📩 ap.8.services@gmail.com Together we can inspire, engage, and create opportunities through rugby. 🏉 #Rugby #GrassrootsRugby #SportsSponsorship #YouthDevelopment #Partnerships #UKSport #AP8Academy
-
Rob Regan shared thisLast night at Cardiff Arms Park was everything Welsh rugby should be. It was a beautiful spring evening in Cardiff. A great atmosphere around the ground as people socaked up the last of the sun having a few beers. The ground filled with people and anticipation! Another week in Welsh Rugby full of ups and downs but last night felt like an important moment to me. Despite the uncertainty and infighting that crippling the game. Over 12,000 passionate fans! A fierce, brilliant derby. Cardiff taking control early. Ospreys refusing to break. Passion everywhere you looked. Collisions 😳lots of Rugby on display! In the stands. families, ex‑players with their kids, members of WRU executive team, Board members, the national coaches. A whole rugby community sharing something powerful! Nights like this prove to me that…. Our four regions are not a cost centre on a spreadsheet 😔 They are assets with a heartbeat. A living, breathing engine of identity, talent and pride. Derbies create players. Derbies create belief. Derbies create the future. This is a moment of opportunity for the WRU Board. A chance to back what clearly works, what clearly inspires, and what clearly still matters to thousands. The economic impacts of losing any region will be worse than any short term perceived cost savings. Regional derbies create real value! Time to think again🎶 Protect the regions. Protect the derbies. Protect the heartbeat of Welsh rugby. The future is brighter with all four. #WelshRugby #KeepThe4Regions #URC #WelshDerby #RugbyFamily #RugbyPassion #FutureOfWelshRugby #SportsGovernance #PositiveChange #CardiffArmsPark #RugbyHeritage #CommunitySport #ProudToBeWelsh
-
Rob Regan shared thisWhy are our requests to share / publish the business case for contraction being ignored? Is Glenn right? If not then the people who could demonstrate that he was wrong are deciding to stay quiet🤫 🧐 I am increasingly concerned that we are heading towards 2 regions. Anyone suggesting a different option is being completely ignored or discredited. We can’t allow our elite game to shrink beyond relevance. The president of the WRU was clear at the USK RFC EGM that he believes we need to get to two. Dave Reddin is on record as believing 2 regions is the right number. At Mondays EGM the CEO was clear that the consultation showed that 2 wasn’t acceptable. So we end up at 3 🤷♂️ no shared facts or data, no business case, no economic impact assessment for communities…no clarity on non regional investments like pathways and women’s rugby being shared. Imagine where we might be if all The time energy and money that has gone into to trying to force the contraction had gone into generating an extra £10m of revenue 🙄 Leadership and Board bandwidth, Regional Exec teams, legal costs, court cases. CMA??? Massive uncertainty driving away key players to play in England. The statement made at the EGM was as that International Rugby is all about winning. Which I agree is pretty sensible. My big fear is that, that mindset and egos have got us to the place where “winning” the arguement on regions has become more important than the outcomes😌 massive egos competing to win! In the boardroom not on the pitch. #WelshRugby #Governance #CommunityRugby #welshrugbyunionRob Regan shared thisThe WRU gives complicated reasons why it cannot fund 4 regions. Let me break this down in simple terms why that has not been properly proven. Yes, the WRU has shown the old model is under pressure. Its own finance case says that under PRA25, private investment would need to rise from £22m to £41m over five years just to maintain the status quo. But that is not the same as proving Welsh rugby cannot sustain four regions full stop. Why? Because the WRU’s own consultation included a four-region option with unequal funding. And even in its own words, the proposed system only “seems to link best” to the two-club model. That is a preferred option, not proof that every four-region alternative fails. Then look at how the position moved. In February 2025, PRA25 was presented as a deal to help sustain the game with four clubs. By May, the WRU said it would not return to four evenly funded clubs. By August, its preferred consultation model linked best to two clubs. By October, it landed on three. That is not a settled financial inevitability. That is a moving position. And when clubs challenged the evidence, Dragons said the WRU’s financial and performance data contained inconsistencies and questionable assumptions, including whether naming rights were undersold, or CVC has been clearly explained There is another part of this people should understand. This is not just about annual rugby funding. It is also about what the WRU has chosen to own, build and prioritise. In its 2023 accounts, the WRU group carried about £155.3m of tangible fixed assets. That included about £58.0m for the stadium, £41.8m of land, and £46.0m for the Parkgate Hotel. Now compare that with the rugby side. In 2024, payments to the four professional regional clubs totalled £28.7m. In 2025, the WRU said its total investment in the professional game, including pathways, SRC and the regional clubs, was £45.4m. So in simple terms, one commercial asset, Parkgate Hotel, was being carried at roughly the same value as a full year of professional game investment. That does not mean you can just sell a hotel tomorrow and write cheques to players. It is not that simple. But it does mean the WRU has made major capital choices, while now telling Welsh rugby there is no way to sustain four regions and build the pathway properly at the same time. So my view is simple. The WRU has justified change. What it has not done is prove, in a transparent and independently testable way, that cutting a region was the only credible answer. A better way of putting it is this: Welsh rugby is not only dealing with a shortage of money. It is dealing with the consequences of financial and strategic choices, and now the regions and pathways are being asked to pay for them. “One Wales” should mean more connection, more opportunity and a stronger game across the whole country, not a smaller map dressed up as reform. #WRU #WelshRugby https://lnkd.in/et2DjPzu
-
Rob Regan shared thisBrilliant initiative 👏👏👏👏👏 share wide and far and fingers crossed for tha lucky club ☺️Rob Regan shared this🚨For my Rugby loving contacts... The Rugby Pod has teamed up with Stonegate Group & MiXR to give one grassroots rugby team the chance to win an unreal experience… a training session with Dan Biggar followed by a few pints in the local pub 🏉 Simple to enter, just email team@therugbypod.com #rugby #grassroots #team #social
-
Rob Regan shared thisA very worthy cause close to so many of our hearts. Be a great day out. Please sign up and raise as much as you can🙏🙏
-
Rob Regan shared thisCommunity Rugby at its very Best! Congratulations to Penarth Rugby for putting on a fantastic spectacle of everything good about rugby! I was invited to watch Penarth Rugby play BARBARIAN RUGBY CLUB on their 125th anniversary by club chairman Sean O’Sullivan. The Barbarians included a few Welsh greats including Andrew Powell ,Bradley Davies and absolute legend Alan “The Clamp” Bateman at 61!!!🤯 one try, one assist….. Penarth lost its clubhouse in a fire in December but still managed to put on the event. In the small bar that wasn’t lost to the fire you could literally taste the smoke damage as you queued for a beer! The show went on with the graft, grit and community spirit that differentiates our beloved game from others. Brilliant to see a few thousand people supporting the event. It was a physical encounter with the Barbarians just nicking it from a strong Penarth side! Great handing by the Barbarians playing flowing rugby helped in the 2nd half by a very strong wind! The game was well reffed by Nigel Owens and there was live commentary(of sorts 😂😂😂) from Tom Shanklin ! Offering some live support for Nigel with his own referring views! At the dinner in the evening we were treated to a great Q&A with Andy Powell and Adam Jones. Adam once again talked really candidly about his experiences in the early days and relaying his experiences in the England changing room with support from the great Jason Leonard after being subbed at 30 minutes. Vulnerability from a man mountain 👏👏👏👏👏 Andy was animated and engaging but what struck me was as how much passion he has for the community game. Despite the reputation and the stories he talked with real emotion about his experiences and how his mum really was his driving force and protector! Can’t wait for the book 🤫 We’ve spent so much time talking about 4 clubs we’ve forgotten how critical the other 270 are at the foundation of the rugby pyramid!! From British Lions legends to community players breaking bread and sharing stories! #WelshRugby #CommunityRugby #Vulnerability
Rob Regan commented on a post
18h
Well done Jamie - Brilliant to see such positive progress with the backdrop you’ve faced for the last 18 months. Congratulations to everyone at the club 👏👏
Rob Regan commented on a post
6d
Complete agree Martyn Fowler. We’ve estimated that the community game that props up the entire rugby pyramid is dependent on c£25m of free labour from the volunteer army 👏👏👏 under valued and underestimated by many!
Rob Regan commented on a post
2w
Brilliant experience Nyall Thomas. Good on you for taking the opportunity. Great things happen to those who work their 🥜 off ☺️☺️
-
Rob Regan reacted on thisRob Regan reacted on thisAn incredible evening at Cardiff Arms Park and a special moment for everyone connected to Cardiff Rugby To secure qualification after everything this group, staff and supporters have been through says so much about the character of this club. A huge thank you to our supporters, partners, volunteers and staff who continue to back us. Nights like this show exactly what this club is all about. The job isn’t done yet. Onto the next one. 💙🖤
-
Rob Regan reacted on thisRob Regan reacted on thisI was lucky enough to be invited to Buckingham Palace for the King's Trust 50th anniversary garden party. A lot of the young founders the Trust has supported were there. I spent most of the afternoon talking to them. They knew their way around technology. Several were already employing people internationally and running lean, distributed teams before they had their first office. One founder told me the Trust had helped him rebuild his life after a period in the criminal justice system. He talked about the business he was now running, and his enthusiasm was infectious. The common narrative about young people in business right now is that they lack grit, won't graft, and expect everything handed to them. That is not what I saw yesterday. Fifty years in, the Trust is still doing the important work of helping young people turn their fortunes around. Long may it continue.
-
Rob Regan reacted on thisRob Regan reacted on thisWhat a great night last night for MET Executive Travel as sponsors of the Cardiff Life awards which was held in Cardiff Museum. Lovely to have our wonderful friends attend whilst also having our clients Alun Wyn Jones & Liam Williams plus their wives join us on our table for the evening. Everybody looked incredible 😍 #cardifflife #awards #plentyofwine #hospitality #sponsors
-
Rob Regan reacted on thisRob Regan reacted on thisConversations about mental health don’t happen in meeting rooms. They happen quietly. After a tough week. Walking back to the car. Over coffee. Watching sport. When someone finally says: “I’m actually struggling a bit.” That’s why I love what Six Connections is doing this June! Co-Creation Group Limited is proudly sponsoring the Six Connections 24 Hour Padel People challenge, with Naomi Dake and Neil Woodall stepping onto the court to represent us 🎾 And honestly, the whole event feels refreshingly human. Just people coming together through sport, conversation, music, coffee or beer (!) and connection. Because that’s usually where real support starts. The money raised will help fund mental health training places for charities, grassroots sports clubs, schools and education providers through the Powered By Mates movement. Which feels like a genuinely meaningful thing to be part of. Also, important disclaimer: You absolutely do not need to be good at padel. If you'd like to support the event, take on a challenger slot or come along on the day, we’d love to see you there. Please contact hello@sixconnections.co.uk, or donate here: https://lnkd.in/ePExPSjZ
-
Rob Regan reacted on thisRob Regan reacted on thisIt is a huge honour to be appointed Trefnydd, Chief Whip and Cabinet Minister for Culture and Sport. I look forward to taking on the challenges of this portfolio and providing the focus and support they need to thrive. Culture and sport are central to our identity and strength as a nation, and I look forward to working together with all of the Cabinet to deliver for the people of Wales. Mae’n anrhydedd aruthrol cael fy mhenodi yn Drefnydd, Prif Chwip a Gweinidog Cabinet dros Ddiwylliant a Chwaraeon. Dwi’n edrych ymlaen i ymgymryd â heriau’r portffolio hwn a rhoi’r sylw a’r gefnogaeth sydd ei angen arnynt i ffynnu. Mae diwylliant a chwaraeon yn ganolog i’n hunaniaeth a’n cryfder fel cenedl, ac edrychaf ymlaen i gyd-weithio gyda holl aelodau’r Cabinet i gyflawni dros bobl Cymru.
-
Rob Regan reacted on thisRob Regan reacted on thisThrilled to have started work on this house transformation in Lisvane. Particular thanks to the Cardiff planning department for supporting the scheme, and also to No.1 Scaffolding - Cardiff Ltd Joseph Cashin for helping make this one possible! Loft Pro
-
Rob Regan reacted on thisRob Regan reacted on thisOne thing I’ve learned about change over the years is that people don’t struggle with change nearly as much as they struggle with uncertainty. Last week, we brought together a small group of senior leaders from across the Northwest for a Co-Creation Group Limited roundtable with our brilliant partners, Loopin and Six Connections, exploring resilience, leadership and communication during uncertain times. What I loved most was the honesty in the room, because this wasn’t a polished conversation about change models and neat answers, it was a real conversation about what happens when priorities keep shifting, communication feels vague, decisions are slow, and people are left filling in the gaps for themselves. And those gaps are rarely kind. Dave Scholes reminded us how important it is to be brave, curious, clear and creative during change, and above all, kind to ourselves as we navigate the messiness of it. Rebecca Saunders Jones helped us explore why change can falter, from unclear outcomes and missing measures, through to not involving the people most affected early enough, hesitation in decision-making, and the gap that can open up between those shaping strategy and those expected to live it. Rebecca Stevens brought the human response to change to life, particularly how fear and uncertainty can affect trust, collaboration and connection if we don’t pay attention to what is really happening beneath the surface. For me, that is where the real leadership work sits: creating focus, communicating with care, making human-first decisions, collaborating properly, and helping people understand where they can play, contribute and influence. A huge thank you to everyone who joined us and contributed so openly. We are continuing to shape these roundtables as small, thoughtful spaces for senior leaders to have the conversations that don’t always happen in the day-to-day, but really matter. If you would value being part of a future conversation, or know someone who would bring a thoughtful perspective to the room, I’d be very happy to hear from you.
Experience & Education
View Rob’s full experience
See their title, tenure and more.
or
Other similar profiles
Explore more posts
Explore collaborative articles
We’re unlocking community knowledge in a new way. Experts add insights directly into each article, started with the help of AI.
Explore More