Originally from Newport, Matt left school at 14 without any GCSEs and found himself living in a bedsit funded by social services.

However, it was during a daily walk to the YMCA – while unemployed at the age of 16 – when Matt saw an Army recruitment advertisement that inspired him to enlist, marking a pivotal turning point in his life.

Matt, 43, is now Founder and CEO of Rebel Lion Advertising and Marketing, based in Cardiff with offices in London, Manchester and New York City. The company works with high profile clients including the Football Association of Wales, Britvic, London Palladium and Marshall Arts Entertainment. Red Lion achieved a seven figure turnover in year two.

Having held senior positions in the UK advertising industry, Matt founded his first creative advertising agency, S3 Advertising, in 2011, which he grew into a multimillion pound national business that was later sold through a management buyout.

Matt has highlighted how the pivotal Army recruitment advert showed him first-hand the impact communications can have and how it was his inspiration to go into advertising.

On receiving the Honorary Fellowship from Cardiff Metropolitan University, Matt said: “To be honoured by Cardiff Met in this way means more than I can explain. I didn’t finish school. I didn’t go to university. I came from care, joined the Army, and built my life through resilience, mistakes and discipline.

“This Fellowship isn’t just for me, it’s for every young person who’s been told they won’t make it. You don’t need a perfect past to build a powerful future. You just have to keep showing up.”

In 2021, Matt’s entrepreneurial flair also saw him appear on the BBC’s Dragons’ Den, where he secured investment for and raised the profile of his skincare brand, MESOA. His appearance on the show also gave him the opportunity to discuss male mental health, having struggled himself over the years.

In his first business, S3, Matt launched the S3 Academy which partnered with Welsh universities to give students work experience and develop their skills in a real-world setting. Around 300 graduates went through the academy over four years, with more than 10% of these securing permanent jobs with his company. So far, Matt has employed over 100 people in Wales, 50% of these originally started at his academies.

During the graduation ceremony at Wales Millennium Centre, Matt gave an inspirational speech to students from the School of Management: “As I stand in front of you today, not as someone who had it easy, but as someone who earned this moment, I say this to every graduate. You are enough. You are ready. No one gets to define your limits but you. There is no perfect route. There is only the route you build. Lead with your heart. Lead with your fire. Don’t wait to be chosen. Choose yourself. And whatever stands in your way, face it.”

Matt has won multiple national awards, including the prestigious Great British Entrepreneur of the Year Award for the Creative Industry in 2017, 2018 and 2019 plus industry awards issued by The Drum and the RAR Digital Awards.

Professor David Brooksbank, Senior Dean of Cardiff School of Management said: ”Having faced a challenging start in life, Matt exemplifies what can be achieved through hard work and dedication. He has made a significant impact on the Welsh business community, building an outstanding commercial track record as a serial entrepreneur leading multimillion pound organisations.

“Matt is deeply passionate about developing people and inspiring younger generations to thrive, regardless of their background. It is a great honour to present Matt with an Honorary Fellowship, and we look forward to working with him in the future.”

Alongside his business success, Matt has been awarded industry fellowships with the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) and the Royal Society of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA). He has also been accepted into The Chartered Management Institute (CMI) as a Chartered Companion.

Now living with his family in the Vale of Glamorgan, Matt enjoys supporting causes which align with his values; including a year volunteering for the Welsh Amateur Boxing Association as Director of Communications and a partnership between his brand, MESOA Skincare and Brotectors, helping to break the stigma around men’s mental health.

This week, students from Cardiff Metropolitan University will graduate at the Wales Millennium Centre. 

Over 3,200 students from more than 90 countries will attend the July graduation ceremonies which take place from Monday 14 July to Thursday 17 July. 

Professor Rachael Langford, Cardiff Met’s Vice-Chancellor and President, said: “Graduation week is a standout moment in our University calendar – a special time to celebrate the achievements of our students. It’s a chance for us to warmly welcome graduates, along with their families, friends and supporters who have been by their side throughout their academic journey. 

“On behalf of the entire University community, we extend our heartfelt congratulations to everyone graduating this week. Your success is the result of years of dedication and perseverance, and we are extremely proud. As you step into this exciting new chapter, we wish you every success and look forward to welcoming you into the Cardiff Met alumni family.” 

Cardiff Met’s July graduation ceremonies see undergraduate and postgraduate students from the UK and overseas, and from all five academic Schools (School of Art & Design, School of Education & Social Policy, School of Management, School of Sport & Health Sciences, and the School of Technologies) graduate with degrees and awards from the University’s 299 undergraduate and postgraduate programmes of study. 

Hundreds of pupils from schools across south Wales will have their artwork on display at Cardiff Metropolitan University this week.

Now in its eighth year, over 60 schools – including school children from year one through to sixth form students – are taking part in the annual Creative Exhibition which takes place at Cardiff Met until 4 July.

Cardiff School of Art & Design and Cardiff School of Education & Social Policy work collaboratively to provide a platform for schools to share work with each other, parents and the wider public in a purpose-built exhibition space.

Marie Hill, leader of learning in art at Whitmore High School, in Barry, said: “The school’s exhibition is an excellent experience for art-based students as it validates and celebrates their hard work but also their imagination and creativity. There is nothing better than seeing your work on display and being able to see all the other schools’ work is amazing too. “Hosting it at Cardiff Met makes the students feel valued, whilst giving them a taste of what university life is like. As a teacher I feel inspired by the breadth of what is displayed.”

The Creative Exhibition is held in Cardiff School of Art & Design, Llandaff . It is open to the public from Friday 27 June and will run until Friday 4 July between 10am – 5pm Monday to Friday. The public are welcome to pop in and do not need to book in advance.

Jason Davies is a Senior Lecturer in Education at Cardiff School of Education & Social Policy at Cardiff Met, and responsible for the Creative Exhibition initiative. He said: “Every year it is a huge privilege to be able to work with colleagues in schools and colleges to share the incredible work pupils produce. Without the commitment and enthusiasm of teachers none of this would be possible. Thank you to everyone involved.”

We are at the centre of a sex and gender storm. Conceptual definitions of sex are having significant practical implications on rights and access to services for gender diverse groups, with a targeted focus on trans people.

In the UK, the UK Supreme Court Ruling on the definition of sex in the Equality Act 2010 in May 2025 has caused shock waves for gender rights and major disruption to single sex spaces. The implications for sport remain uncertain with public consultation taking place to understand what this Ruling means in practice.

While in the USA, the new Trump administration has pushed down on gender identity and removed protections for trans people, including an executive order that prevents trans females from competing in female categories of sports signed by President Trump.

These legal hammers in the UK and the USA are influencing sports bodies to tighten gender eligibility policies and confine the female categories to birth sex, with a general trend towards the exclusion of trans female athletes.

Views continue to differ on the correlation between binary sex categories, the effects of testosterone on sport performance, physiological advantage, safety, injury risk and gender diversity.

Against this background, on 10 July 2025 the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) will finally deliver its Judgment in the case of Semenya vs Switzerland.

Caster Semenya is a world class South African runner who was restricted from competing in athletics by the World Athletics (WA) Eligibility Regulations 2018, which place medical conditions upon females with differences of sexual development (DSD), to participate in the female category.

Semenya challenged the eligibility requirement to undergo hormone treatment to lower her naturally elevated testosterone levels connected to her DSD identity, on the grounds that the rules constituted birth, sex and gender discrimination. WA defends the DSD regulations as necessary, reasonable and proportionate to maintain fair competition in the female category.

Semenya was unsuccessful before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) (in 2019) and the Swiss Federal Supreme Court (SFT) (in 2020). She fought her way to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) and in 2023 it held by a majority that there had been a violation of European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR) Article 14 (prohibition of discrimination), taken together with Article 8 (respect to private life), and Article 13 (right to an effective remedy), taken together with Article 8 and Article 14 (prohibition of discrimination), by failing to secure safeguards in the review of Semenya’s case.

The Chamber highlighted that Semenya complained of the violation of her Convention rights to the CAS and the SFT but neither reviewed those matters sufficiently, owing to its limited powers.

In 2023, the Swiss Government requested a referral to the Grand Chamber, which was accepted by the Panel. The Grand Chamber hearing took place in May 2024 to assess the compatibility of the case with Convention rights, and the Judgment is imminent.

The ECHR is often celebrated as a living instrument that is interpreted in light of present-day conditions.  As outlined, those present-day conditions are turbulent and this outcome is likely to ignite further discussion about sex and gender in sport, with a risk of conflating DSD and trans athletes.

For example, since the Chamber Judgment in 2023, WA has imposed further restrictions on gender eligibility and in March 2025, it announced the re-introduction of a sex test to determine eligibility in the female category, in the form of a cheek swab gene test. It also recommended the merging of DSD and trans athlete policies which was warned against in the Chamber Judgment.

The eligibility of DSD athletes is somewhat overshadowed by the trans female debates but has nonetheless attracted athlete challenges for many years. The inclusion of both groups in the female sport category challenges binary categories and both are subject to similar scrutiny over testosterone, performance advantage, safety and injury risks.

When it comes to law and sport regulation there is an urgent need to identify areas of overlap as well as key distinctions between DSD and trans people.

The Grand Chamber Judgment will come at a time when gender eligibility is at its most contentious, and most politically charged. However, it might assist in encouraging dialogue and clarifying the legal and sport position for DSD athletes.

If the Grand Chamber confirms the Chamber Judgment it might have a significant influence on the future adoption of human rights in sport regulation and sport disciplinary processes. The compatibility of domestic law and sports rules with Convention rights might be subject to closer scrutiny following this Judgment.

Dr Seema Patel, Associate Professor in Law, Nottingham Law School

With the UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 getting underway next week, NTU’s Dr Katy Griggs takes a close look at how women’s football apparel has changed over the years – and why brands have a responsibility to continue to improve the kits they produce to empower the next generation of female players.

Over the last seven years, the number of women and girls’ football teams in England has more than doubled. As women’s football continues to surge in popularity and with the upcoming UEFA Women’s Euros in sight, what players wear on the pitch has become an important topic. Sportswear is more than merely aesthetics or branding, it enhances performance, comfort and identity.

For decades, however, female players had to wear kit designed and made for men.  

Except women aren’t small men.

Today, sports brands have finally switched their attention to producing garments that put females at the forefront of the design and cater for female needs.

Evolution of female sportswear: A brief history

Following the lifting of the FA’s ban on women playing on affiliated pitches in England in 1971, the growth of women’s football in the UK started to blossom. The skirts and bloomers worn by female football players in the 1920s and 1930s were replaced by shorts and jerseys resembling the men’s kit. But they were simply smaller versions of the men’s kit and hence were ill-fitting and not designed for the needs of the female players.

Players reported a fear of sweat marks and visible blood stains on shorts during menstruation when playing in light colours. With similar concerns raised by female athletes in other sports, such as tennis and rugby. This resulted in the England team and various club teams switching to darker coloured shorts.

It was not only colour that concerned players, but also the length and fit of the shorts, perceived by some to be exposing or sexualising them compared to their male counterparts.

It wasn’t until the FIFA 2019 Women’s World Cup that bespoke fitted women’s kits were available, designing kits with fit, performance and comfort in mind.

Optimising materials and female specific cuts were developed to support the athletic performance of the players.

Functionality meets innovation

Performance driven designs are now commonplace in sportswear, with technological developments in fabrics, design innovations and manufacturing processes supporting the growth of the sports apparel industry.

How a sporting garment performs is determined by a complex interaction between thermal, moisture and mechanical properties.

This results in sportswear garments that enhance breathability, performance, comfort, durability and aesthetics.

After scoring the winning goal for England in the Euro 2022 final, Chloe Kelly removed her shirt and sprinted across the pitch in her sports bra. An essential piece of sportswear for any female athlete, but unfortunately an item which is so often poorly fitted and misunderstood by the wearer, resulting in discomfort and pain.

Professional football players have been reported to experience a high prevalence and severity of breast pain, have average/below average breast/bra knowledge and wear the wrong size sports bra. Although no data currently exists on the breast support requirements for female football players, based on a 10km run with a stride length of 1m, an athlete would experience 10,000 breast bounces, reinforcing the importance of a correctly fitted and comfortable sports bra.

Implementing breast health education initiatives aims to improve players’ knowledge, reduce the amount and severity of breast pain and enhance their sporting performance.

Traditionally women wore male football boots to play, but due to anatomical differences of the foot, women often reported discomfort, poor fit and were at an increased injury risk as a result.

High rates of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury are a hot topic in women’s football, with the incidence rate of ACL injury in women two times higher than their male counterparts.  

In recent years, major brands, such as Puma, Adidas and Nike have manufactured football boots tailored specifically to the size and shape of women’s feet and differences in traction for female players. However, their usage by grassroots to professional players is yet to be determined.

Research projects, such as ‘Project ACL’ hope to identify best practice and solutions to reduce the risk of ACL injuries in female football players, which may include identifying the impact of these female specific designs on ACL injury incidence rate in the coming years.

The Next 90 Minutes and Beyond

With the upcoming Euros and the impact this event will have on the growth of the game, kit innovation must also grow and be accessible for players at grassroots to the professional game.

Female sportswear should no longer be an afterthought or a smaller version of the men’s kit, but be female-centred and female-focused. Sports clothing brands have a responsibility to continue to improve the kit they produce to empower the next generation of female players to dream bigger, run faster and play harder.