Why rebrand a club that has proudly stood since 1912?
It’s a question I’ve asked myself, and one I believe every organisation, especially one with the legacy of Cardiff Business Club, must ask from time to time.
This rebrand isn’t about change for the sake of it. It’s about reflection. It’s about asking the fundamental questions: Who are we? Who are we serving? And where do we go from here?
The world looks very different to the one in which the Club was founded. Our principles, bringing people together, making connections, learning from one another, remain solid. But how we express those values, and who we engage, must continue to evolve.
It had been many years since Cardiff Business Club had taken a step back to assess how it was presenting itself to the world. As a board, we didn’t want to become inward-looking, but we also recognised the danger of complacency, especially for legacy institutions.
So, we made space for an open, honest look at who we are, what we offer, and what the Club could and should look like in the years ahead. That reflective process, supported by the outstanding team at Toward, and guided by valued input from our board members, has led us to this exciting moment: the launch of a new brand for a new era.
Let me be clear: this rebrand is not about discarding the past. It’s about building on it.
Cardiff Business Club has an extraordinary heritage. Formed before the First World War, it has hosted royalty, heads of state, pioneers of industry, and visionary leaders. In 2012, we marked our centenary with a wonderful booklet that documented the Club’s first 100 years. We look back on that legacy with immense pride, and we carry it forward with responsibility.
But 2026 is not 1912. Cardiff is not what it was, and neither are we. The people, the city, the economy, and the expectations of professional life have all transformed. The business landscape is more diverse, more connected, and more dynamic. Our Club must reflect that.
One of the most striking realisations when reflecting on our history is how male-dominated the Club was for much of its life. That’s no longer the case, and it never should have been. Today, we are determined to represent and welcome everyone: every gender, every background, every age. And we’re just getting started.
The new brand helps us tell that story more clearly. It’s an invitation. A statement of relevance. A message to the next generation that this Club belongs to them too.
In my own professional journey, which spans over four decades, Cardiff Business Club was a formative space. I remember attending events in the 1990s, making connections that endure to this day. It helped me find a pathway, and it’s my ambition as Chair to ensure that the Club continues to help others do the same.
This rebrand is also about creating those pathways. For young professionals just starting out. For mid-career changemakers. For those returning to work, building businesses, and seeking new connections. If the Club can be a place where paths are discovered, then it remains true to its deepest purpose.
Anyone who’s walked out of Cardiff Central Station in the last decade knows the city has changed. Gone is the old bus station. In its place, Central Square, the new home of the BBC and a thriving commercial quarter. Cardiff Bay is unrecognisable from the days when coal was king. We are one of the fastest-growing cities in Europe, and we are home to leading institutions in life sciences, AI, and creative technology.
So yes, we have a new look. A new tone. A renewed sense of purpose. But more importantly, we have momentum. We have an engaged board, growing membership, new partnerships and a calendar full of events that speak to the realities of today’s world.
The new Cardiff Business Club brand is more than a logo. It’s a symbol of intent. A statement of who we are, and who we aspire to be.
And as we launch this new chapter, I want to thank everyone who has been part of the journey so far,and warmly invite those who haven’t yet joined us, to come and be part of what’s next.
Phil Jardine talks about this and more in the Cardiff Business Club podcast episode: Rebranding a Legacy: How Cardiff Business Club is Shaping a New Era. Listen to the podcast here.
