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Post by QPR Report on Oct 7, 2009 18:35:20 GMT
Otago Daily Times
Excitement of Dunedin stadium lures WelshmanBy Chris Morris on Thu, 8 Oct 2009 The Welshman head-hunted to manage the Forsyth Barr Stadium says Dunedin is yet to realise the pulling power of the new venue. David Davies (50) was yesterday named as the chief executive of Dunedin Venues Management Ltd, the company formed by the Dunedin City Council to run the stadium and other ratepayer-owned venues. Mr Davies is expected in Dunedin next month to take up his new role, which was confirmed after a four-month international search, consideration of 92 candidates and shoulder-tapping by United Kingdom-based recruitment company Sheffield. His CV includes roles as chief executive of the Queens Park Rangers soccer club, London Wasps rugby club, concert promotion and control of the Manchester Arena - the largest indoor arena in Europe, with space for 21,000 people - and, most recently, managing director of DHP Group, specialising in the management of bands, venues and events, including up to 700 concerts a year. Speaking to the Otago Daily Times from England yesterday, Mr Davies threw his weight behind Dunedin's controversial stadium project. He said he had been lured to Dunedin by the excitement offered by the new role, which would involve marketing and co-ordinating the city's new stadium and other venues, including the Dunedin and Edgar Centres. Asked yesterday what he believed the pulling-power of the stadium would be, Mr Davies summed it up in one word: "Big." "I don't think, locally, people have quite understood the economic impact a venue of this nature is going to have on them." As well as professional sports - based on the Highlanders rugby team as an anchor tenant - he was confident the stadium would lure top international acts that would make people "sit up and take notice". He struck a conciliatory tone when asked about opposition to the stadium, saying he was prepared to meet critics and discuss their concerns. Mr Davies travelled to Dunedin in September as part of the recruitment process. His appointment was confirmed at a press conference in Dunedin yesterday attended by Mayor Peter Chin, Carisbrook Stadium Trust chairman Malcolm Farry and venues management chairman Sir John Hansen. Mr Chin said the council had found the right person for a "critical appointment", while Sir John said the company was fortunate to secure his "very considerable" skills. Nobody at the press conference would confirm Mr Davies' salary, and, when asked, Mr Davies would say only he was to be "appropriately rewarded". www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/77146/excitement-dunedin-stadium-lures-welshman
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Post by QPR Report on Oct 7, 2009 18:54:26 GMT
DCC appoints chief executive for stadiumHome » News » Dunedin Wed, 7 Oct 2009 Dunedin Mayor Peter Chin today announced the appointment of a new chief executive to manage the stadium and other council-owned venues. Welshman David Davies would be in charge of the newly created Dunedin Venues Management Ltd (DVML), that oversees the $198 million Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin and Edgar Centres. After years of planning, legal wrangling and vocal protesting from locals opposed to the new fully enclosed stadium, the contract was finally signed off on April 27. In the past two weeks, real progress could be seen as more than 100 construction workers erected massive concrete pillars and foundations for the 30,000-seat stadium. Carisbrook Stadium Trust chairman Malcolm Farry said there were "no known difficulties" at this stage that would prevent it being finished by August 1 2011. Mr Farry said each stage of the project required different skill sets so it had not been necessary to employ a chief executive for the company any earlier. Mr Davies would begin his role with DVML in November. His appointment came after an international search. He has managed venues in Manchester, Newcastle and Oberhausen and has also been chief executive of English championship football club Queen's Park Rangers and rugby club London Wasps. DVML chairman Sir John Hansen said the appointment was very exciting for the "fledgling stadium". Mr Davies was selected from 92 applicants. www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/77066/dcc-appoints-chief-executive-stadium
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Post by QPR Report on Oct 7, 2009 18:55:31 GMT
Appointment Ends International Search to Fill Top City JobThe Mayor of Dunedin, Peter Chin, announces David Davies as CEO of the newly formed Dunedin Venues Management Ltd, the company set up by the DCC to run the new Forsyth Barr Stadium at University Plaza, the Dunedin Centre complex and the Edgar Centre. "This is a critical appointment and we have been determined to get the right person for this ground-breaking position. Our consultants extended their search beyond New Zealand to make that appointment" added Mr Chin. "We are very confident that, in offering the position to Mr David Davies, we have found the right person for the job. We now look forward to David using his considerable skills and experience in venue and event management to the advantage of Dunedin and the wider Otago region." He was formerly the Managing Director of the European Division of Ogden Entertaimnet, the large US facilities operator. Included in the venues Davies controlled were the arenas in Manchester, Newcastle and Oberhausen. The 23,000 seat Manchester Arena, was a pivotal facility in Manchester's successful bid for the 2002 Commonwealth Games. The Arena is the biggest and busiest indoor concert venue in Europe and was named 'International Venue of the Year' in 2002. It hosted ice hockey, netball, basketball and boxing in addition to light entertainment events, which included Take That, Bruce Springsteen and Luciano Pavarotti. Davies was also Deputy Chairman of the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester, which was home to the Halle Orchestra and hosted concerts and international orchestras. He then went on to work as the CEO of Queen's Park Rangers, an English Championship Football Club, CEO of rugby club, London Wasps, the former Premiership and European Champions. Mr Davies, has a BA in Sports Studies and a Masters in Business Administration together with an imposing portfolio of relevant experience. He is currently employed as Managing Director of DHP Group (Nottingham) a company which currently runs four venues, including the award winning Rock City, and in addition has interests in ticketing operations, concert promotions and artist management. Starting his career as a local government employee Mr Davies confesses to being comfortable working within the responsibilities such a relationship imposes. He has also had extensive experience working with a variety of sporting and entertainment surfaces both natural and artificial. Mr Davies, who has worked alongside Warren Gatland and Craig Dowd, admits to being passionate about rugby and worked at the 2007 Rugby World Cup Fan Village at the Eiffel Tower site in Paris. He believes such relationships have brought him an understanding of the 'kiwi psyche' and our approach to life and business, and his regard for New Zealanders leads him to think he and his family will quickly settle in Dunedin. The Chair of DVML, Sir John Hansen, says "We are excited by the skills and vision Mr Davies will bring to the position and we are fortunate to have secured the very considerable experience of a man who has repeatedly proved himself in the highly competitive European and UK markets. I am particularly delighted that David brings such vast experience of concert and music promotion to the position". Hansen also announced that Davies would act as CEO on behalf of the Carisbrook Trust during the construction of the new stadium. Meanwhile, Malcolm Farry, Chairman of Carisbrook Stadium Trust says: "Mr Davies brings a welcome wealth of international expertise and experience to our project. We look forward to his skills turning our dream into reality. Mr Davies will provide valuable insights into the detailed design of the stadium as it goes through the construction stage, leadership to the staff and fresh ideas in the sponsorship and marketing areas. The Trustees are looking forward to working with Mr Davies who will also act as the CEO to the Trust for the time necessary to see the stadium is built on time, on budget to appropriate quality standards." Mr Davies, who is 50, is expected to arrive in Dunedin before Christmas. Contact details Contact DCC on 477 4000. www.dunedin.govt.nz/news/october-2009/appointment-ends-international-search-to-fill-top-city-job
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Post by QPR Report on Oct 7, 2009 19:11:42 GMT
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Post by Lonegunmen on Oct 8, 2009 8:58:53 GMT
Oh for F***s sake! That's it, I'm ringing immigration tomorrow!
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Post by QPR Report on Oct 8, 2009 13:16:57 GMT
Essay Question: David Davies and Gianni Paladini - Compare and Contrast
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Post by Lonegunmen on Oct 8, 2009 21:34:53 GMT
A Tale of 2 Evils
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Post by QPR Report on Nov 8, 2009 20:28:29 GMT
Otago Daily Times - Salary of stadium boss revealed By Chris Morris on Mon, 9 Nov 2009 David Davies. The Welshman head-hunted to manage the Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin is set to become the Dunedin City Council's second highest-paid employee. David Davies (50) has negotiated an annual salary of up to $250,000 for his role as chief executive of Dunedin Venues Management Ltd (DVML), the company formed by the council to run the stadium and other ratepayer-owned venues. The salary package - including an at-risk portion linked to performance - is second behind chief executive Jim Harland's $335,000 a year. Mr Davies will have already cost the council $21,000 by the time he arrives to take up his new role later this month - the amount the council has agreed to pay for Mr Davies and his family to ship their possessions to Dunedin. That was also believed to be the largest sum paid by the council to relocate a new employee, Mr Harland confirmed when contacted. The council had previously paid relocation costs for staff recruited offshore, "but not at such a senior level with a household with them", Mr Harland said. Details of Mr Davies' salary were released to the Otago Daily Times by the council following a request under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987. His package fell "within the $230,000 - $250,000 band", including the at-risk portion, the council release said. Mr Davies, who is still in England, did not respond to emailed questions about his salary last week. Speaking last month, he would only say he was being "appropriately rewarded". Contacted about the appointment, Mr Harland confirmed Mr Davies would become the council's second highest-paid member of staff, behind himself. Mr Davies' salary was based on the New Zealand conference, convention and venue market, and benchmarked against other top venues, including Auckland's Eden Park, and companies including Christchurch-based events management firm Vbase, he said. "It reflects the market . . . and, related to that, it reflects the commercial responsibilities that go with that." Those responsibilities included dealing with the lack of guaranteed income for the Forsyth Barr Stadium - less than two years before it is due to open in August 2011 - and the "start-up situation" to be worked through by DVML, he said. "We wanted the best candidate to do the job, and in our view we have succeeded in doing that," Mr Harland said. "It wasn't a question of money . . . There's a business plan that needs to be achieved. "You need a leader who can achieve the revenue targets and ensure expenditure is kept under control." Mr Davies' experience would be a key factor, Mr Harland said. He was head-hunted by New Zealand recruitment company Sheffield Search following an international hunt that attracted 92 candidates. His CV included roles as chief executive of the Queens Park Rangers soccer club and London Wasps rugby club. He has concert promotion experience, and controlled Manchester Arena - the largest indoor arena in Europe, with space for 21,000 people. Most recently, he was managing director of DHP group, specialising in the management of bands, venues and events, including up to 700 concerts a year. Asked if Mr Davies had taken a pay cut to relocate to Dunedin, Mr Harland said "you would have to ask him that". However, he described Mr Davies' package as "a fair starting point", with Dunedin salaries that were "typically not as high" offset by lower living costs and the "unique" opportunity provided by the role. Mr Harland would not say how big the at-risk portion of Mr Davies' salary was. The assessment criteria would be set by the DVML board once Mr Davies was in Dunedin. chris.morris@odt.co.nz www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/81247/salary-stadium-boss-revealed |
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Post by QPR Report on Nov 16, 2009 17:12:59 GMT
www.odt.co.nz/your-town/dunedin/82267/stadium-chief-executive-starts-workStadium chief executive starts work By Chris Morris on Tue, 17 Nov 2009 David Davies. The new head of the Forsyth Barr Stadium has started work in Dunedin. Welshman David Davies had his first day in the office yesterday, beginning his new role as chief executive of Dunedin Venues Management Ltd (DVML) with back-to-back meetings after arriving in New Zealand on Friday. DVML was the company formed by the Dunedin City Council to run the stadium and other ratepayer-owned venues. Mr Davies (50) was not available yesterday but would speak to media this week, a Carisbrook Stadium Trust spokesman said. Last week, the Otago Daily Times reported Mr Davies would be paid between $230,000 and $250,000. The salary package included an undisclosed at-risk portion linked to performance. Mr Davies would initially be a council employee, until transferring to the DVML's books once the stadium was completed in 2011. His salary package would make him the second highest-paid council employee. He was head-hunted for the role after stints as chief executive of the Queens Park Rangers soccer club and London Wasps rugby club. He has concert promotion experience, and controlled Manchester Arena - the largest indoor arena in Europe, with space for 21,000 people. Most recently, he was managing director of DHP group, specialising in the management of bands, venues and events www.odt.co.nz/your-town/dunedin/82267/stadium-chief-executive-starts-work
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Post by Lonegunmen on Nov 17, 2009 7:33:06 GMT
W*nker! Mind you he is in the arse end of New Zealand so quite appropriate. Wait till he encounters the students burning the couches at the thugby games!
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Post by Macmoish on Jan 4, 2011 15:33:40 GMT
And here comes Elton John....Thanks David Davies Elton John set to rock stadium By David Loughrey - Otago Daily Times Created 16/12/2010 - Sir Elton John is set to give his first South Island concert in 20 years at Dunedin's Forsyth Barr Stadium next year. Photo supplied. Dunedin's Forsyth Barr Stadium has attracted its first international act, with Sir Elton John booked to perform late next year. The concert follows the Rugby World Cup. It will be Sir Elton's first visit to the South Island in 20 years. Dunedin Venues Management Ltd chief executive David Davies said it was important to him the first event announced for the stadium, apart from the Rugby World Cup, was a concert rather than a sporting event. * Concert should prove first test of venue's flexibility [2] "It's as big an entertainment event as we could have reasonably hoped for in the circumstances." The concert would set a benchmark for performances to come at the stadium, and was "a fantastic coup for the city". While ticketing details were not yet decided, organisers were "working to ensure preference is given to local and regional ratepayers". The news was also welcomed by Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull, who said the booking was "fantastic". Managing director of the concert's promoter, Capital C: Concerts, Phil Sprey said the date of the concert, ticket prices and when tickets would go on sale would be announced early next year "once a few loose ends are tied up". Mr Sprey was brought to Dunedin last year to provide his expertise as a consultant for the Carisbrook Stadium Trust. Yesterday, he said Sir Elton would be coming with his band, and the Dunedin concert was his only New Zealand booking at this stage. Asked if he expected the concert to attract large numbers, he said: "I hope so. It's costing me a lot of money." Just how much was commercially sensitive. Mr Sprey was behind the musician's last three New Zealand concerts, in Auckland, New Plymouth and Wellington, and said Sir Elton was an "easy-going" artist to deal with. Mr Sprey said having the roof on the stadium took one element of risk out of the equation, and allowed the concert to be held earlier in the summer than usual. Carisbrook Stadium Trust chairman Malcolm Farry used the occasion to hit back at his critics. "I'm mindful of the severe criticism from some quarters, who shouted from the mountain tops there was no way we would get an international artist to Dunedin; no promoter would bring one; we were dreaming." Mr Farry said the situation was "a great reminder" Dunedin should not be controlled by people "who want anything you do to get nowhere". "You have to be prepared to push the boundaries." He said there would be more announcements in the next six to 12 months that would "underscore you don't let negative people get control". www.odt.co.nz/print/140983 |
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