Background

With a background in education and the private sector, Andrew Davies was elected as the Assembly Member for Swansea West in May 1999.

He has a detailed knowledge of the Welsh economy through his experience in industry, the private sector and the fields of education and training. He headed up the Ford Motor Company's Employee Development & Assistance Programme in the early 1990s. He was also associate director of a public affairs company.

He was a prominent member of the 'Yes for Wales' Campaign and co-ordinator of Labour's assembly referendum campaign in 1997.

He is a former member of the Wales Labour Party Executive Committee and was a regional official with the Welsh Labour Party in the 1980s. He is a member of the Transport & General Workers' Union.

Andrew Davies graduated from Swansea University where he also trained as a teacher. He is a qualified counsellor and has lectured extensively in further, higher and continuing education.

His political interests include Devolution, Economic Development, Contemporary Arts and Wales' place in the world.

Andrew Davies held the position of Enterprise, Innovation and Networks Minister in Rhodri Morgan's Assembly Government Cabinet with additional responsiblities for the Creative Industries and the Knowledge Exploitation Fund . He was also eMinister in the Assembly Government's with responsibility for co-ordinating the Assembly Government's ICT policy.

Andrew recently became Minister for Finance and Public Service Delivery.

Andrew has served as a member of the Cabinet since the Assembly inception in May 1999, previously in his role as Minister for Assembly Business or Trefnydd.

Born in 1952 in Hereford of Welsh parents, his mother was born in Llandeilo and his father in Holywell in Flintshire.