Businessman Tony Brown, who was considered one of the greatest benefactors of Welsh rugby, has died aged 86. The chairman and owner of Newport office furniture manufacturer Bisley was respected throughout the world of contract furniture but renowned for his considerable financial backing of Newport RFC and the Dragons.
Mr Brown became vice-president at Newport RFC in 1997 where he oversaw the move to make the club a limited company in 1998. He was the chief executive before the introduction of the regions in 2003.
During his tenure, Brown oversaw an unprecedented transformation, bringing in an array of international stars and achieving silverware with the Welsh Cup in 2001. The “Tony Brown era” is regarded as one of the most memorable times in the club’s history.
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He was also a major shareholder in the club and invested significant sums of his own money into the team on the field and the backroom staff off it. By the time he stood back from his executive roles at Rodney Parade, his investment had topped £10m.
Phil Davies, whom Mr Brown had recruited as communications director for Newport RFC, said: “Tony Brown was a wonderful man, far-sighted and big-hearted. In my eyes he was the best of all the great rugby benefactors we’ve seen in Wales over the past 30 years.
“What made him different from the other investors was he put a value on having a proper business team backing the playing side. He had a vision for Newport RFC and wanted to give back to a city in which his company had had a base for many years.
Mr Brown was also instrumental in the creation of the Dragons and remained heavily involved as a director and through Bisley Office Furniture’s sponsorship over more than two decades.
Mark Jones, managing director at Dragons RFC, said: “It’s a very sad day for us all at Rodney Parade. Tony Brown’s influence and legacy can simply not be downplayed. He transformed Newport rugby.
“It was not just his financial backing that earned him cult status with so many fans. He was a true man of the people, often seen selling match day programmes from the terraces or taking time to talk to supporters about his hopes and ambitions.
“He was instrumental in so much of what we see around us and his pioneering work in establishing the Dragons Community team has meant thousands of youngsters over the last two decades have got involved and benefitted from our sport.”
Dragons chairman David Buttress said: "My personal condolences to Tony's family and his close friends. A lovely and kind gentleman.
"Tony had a great twinkle in his eye, a life lived to the full, with a passion for what he did in both business and in sport. He will be sorely missed, but greatly remembered in the 'port."
Born in 1937, Mr Brown, from Surrey, was the son of Bisley founder Freddy Brown. He joined the business in 1960 and took ownership of it in 1970 after his father’s retirement. He opened Bisley’s Newport base in 1988.
Bisley’s MultiDrawer is considered one of the most iconic and enduring furniture icons in the world which won it the coveted Design Guild Mark in 2017.
In 1993, Mr Brown was awarded an OBE for his services to industry and presented with an Honorary Doctorate from Newport University to underline his company’s contribution to the economy of South Wales.
In late 2022, Mr Brown, together with chief executive Richard Costin and the board of directors, gave employees over half of shares in the company as part of his succession plans.
An Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) was established allowing 51% of company shares to be indirectly owned by Bisley's 500 employees based in its global offices in Newport, Dubai, New York, Paris, Germany, the Netherlands, and Ireland.
Mr Costin said: “We are all hugely saddened by Tony’s passing. Speaking personally, it has been an honour to work with Tony and be entrusted with Bisley’s legacy. We look forward to commemorating his wonderful life of public service, sharing his great many achievements and our fond memories in the coming weeks and months.
"We pass on our condolences to Mr Brown’s friends and family. We will miss him greatly.”
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