Former Wales international rugby star joins freshbaked

Former Wales and Cardiff Blues rugby star Rhys Williams has joined fast growing business services group freshbaked.

Having announced his retirement from rugby union earlier this month due to a career ending knee injury, the 29-year-old former Cardiff Blues captain takes up the newly-created position of client relationship manager.

Part of Wales' Grand Slam-winning squad in 2005, Williams represented his country on 44  occasions, scoring 18 tries, and made over 180 appearances for Cardiff RFC and the Blues after making a try-scoring debut at just 18 years old.

In his new role at freshbaked, Williams takes on a new business and client relationship role supporting the Group’s seven divisions.

The strategic appointment comes a month after the freshbaked Group made two significant appointments to its board – former chief executive of south Wales insurance broker Protectagroup, Paul Ragan, and former financial director at Protectagroup, Gary Ridewood – as it strengthens its team ahead of an ambitious three year growth plan where it is targeting a £10m group turnover by 2012.

Williams said: “I am delighted that my first role in the business world is at freshbaked. It is a lively, dynamic and driven team with exciting plans for the future. I hope to bring fresh ideas to the role and put the contacts and experience developed in my rugby career to good use.”
 

Since it was established in 2004 by husband and wife team Richard and Kate Matthews, freshbaked has grown significantly from its original training roots. Securing a place in the Fast Growth index for a second year running in 2009, the Group now encompasses training, recruitment, communications, PR and design.
 

Group managing director Richard Matthews, said: “As a group we have plans to significantly increase our market share in south Wales over the next few years and open up new opportunities across the UK. To help achieve this we need the right team in place. Rhys is a very well respected and well liked figure in south Wales who will undoubtedly open up new doors for us. While it is a shame that he has been forced to hang up his boots, Welsh rugby’s loss is our gain. We’re confident that he will be as talented off the pitch as he was on it and look forward to working with him over the coming months.”