David Wilford – Chief Executive Officer
Born on Broadstone Way Holme Wood, David went to school locally, Dudley Hill Primary, Highfield Middle and Fairfax High Schools.
Leaving school at 16, David went into the textile mill at Scott Dudley Hill commission weavers as a trainee manager and designer. He attended Bradford College on an apprenticeship for textile design on a day release which entailed one day a week. He also completed Management Studies for five years, achieving a diploma and higher diploma in design and technical textiles.
David was made redundant in 1983 and then got a job at Salts Mill, Saltaire, as Design Liaison Officer where he worked with senior fabric designers and technicians. An opportunity came up in January 1984 to apply for a designer role in London, he already knew of the company from his time in the Mill at Scott Dudley Hill. It was the time when the then Tory government Norman Tebitt MP said to people in the North to “get on their bikes and come to London for work” as it was a time of high unemployment. That’s just what David did at the young age of 22. His role was dealing with buyers from multiple store groups such as Next, River Island, Debenhams, Burtons, Topman etc. creating the next designs in fashion lines. This meant a lot of travelling around the world and in particular sourcing fabrics. David has been to India 96 times, a total of two years and nine months spent there in short trips, sourcing yarns and fabrics.
In 1987 David was promoted to Managing Director and assisted in the company being taken over by Drummond Group PLC in 1991 who were based in Bradford; so he headed back up the M1 to Bradford after seven years down South.
David went to Harvard University, in Boston Massachusetts, to improve his operational knowledge and develop building competitive advantage in businesses. David also achieved a degree Ctext ATI from Manchester Textile Institute in 1996.
In 1996 David became President elect of the Bradford Textile Society and president in 1997, its youngest president at the age of 35, a great honour to receive such an office.
David stayed in the textile industry until about 2003, when he decided to take a career break and went to bible college and studied theology, namely a diploma in Christian Ministry and a diploma in Christian Discipleship, after this he returned to Bradford to his church to help run the Care Centre Social Outreach HCC, as Chief Executive Officer in 2006. David grew the voluntary sector organisation and helped it to become sustainable and improved its standing in Bradford. David did a lot of work helping the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) sitting on the Employment and Skill Board, Regeneration Board and latterly the Place Board, representing the VCS.
In 2013 David left HCC to set up his own consultancy business helping businesses with sustainability, managing costs and reorganisation.
In 2017 David became Chair of Governors at Knowleswood Primary School in Holme Wood and worked hard with the board in recruiting an executive head teacher and senior management team, federating with Cavendish Primary to improve the life chances for the 540 children.
David’s ability to build teams and manage change in numerous organisations, through his strong leadership, focus and desire to improve situations for individuals helps positive outcomes to be achieved.
David is also a father to a daughter who is 24 and has two sons 20 and 19.
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Sectors worked in and routes taken: |
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Private Sector |
Part time day release |
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Public Limited Company |
Promotion and Company buyout by PLC |
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Voluntary and Community Sector |
Local Faith based work in Bradford vocational |