Bernie Davies on how moving to Wales allowed her to become award winning businesswoman and mentor

A businesswoman who moved to Wales after arriving in the UK from Jamaica has described how she fell in love with the country on her first visit.

Bernie Davies moved to the UK from Jamaica in 2000, and has gone on to become an award winning public speaker, author and entrepreneur.

Having first settled in Bradford, she later moved to Wales in 2006, where she went on to become the head of property at New Law, Cardiff.

“It was incredible,” Bernie told Adrian Masters in a new episode of Face To Face.

“I drove through Wales to go to Chepstow in 2005, and I was blown away by this beautiful country. 

“For a whole year I was thinking about Wales, and I asked myself ‘why do I keep thinking about this place?’”

Bernie qualified as a lawyer in Jamaica after initially dropping out of university when she fell pregnant. 

She then faced her fair share of adversity, including the threat of homelessness as she struggled to find work.

Struggling with the homelessness situation in the UK, she was inspired to set up a charity in Bradford.

However, it was her move to Wales, and the welcome she received, that she believes helped her truly discover herself and her calling in life.

“It was a new country [and a] new language for this Jamaican woman,” she continued.

“I didn’t realise that when my staff member rang and said that her train was stuck in Mountain Ash, we didn’t have a natural disaster of epic proportions.

“I thought there had been a volcano. I told an open entire office and they’re still laughing.” 

After establishing her legal career, Bernie has turned her attention to championing business, women and BAME people in Wales.

Bernie and her husband Mark owned and operated an award winning chain of restaurants, Jamaican Jills in Neath and Swansea, for eight years.

Having won countless business and mentoring awards, Bernie recently celebrated her 60th birthday. 

Asked what she would now say to the younger version of herself, she said: “I was afraid that I would not find my place. 

“I was afraid nobody would notice me. I was afraid I would get left behind. 

“When we come from a place of authenticity, we are miles ahead in this race called life. 

“That little Bernie could not become that person because she was too afraid she would not be seen.

“Let’s not worry about being seen, let’s worry about how we can be the best version of ourselves.”

You can watch Bernie’s interview in full on Face To Face at 10:45pm on Thursday April 13 on ITV Cymru Wales.