Business, Enterprise & Innovation

Declan is an Economist and Associate Director at Wavehill with a background in project delivery and local government, working in economic development. Bringing various data analysis and economic modelling skills to the team, Declan is an accredited ONS researcher, Declan manages a range of project areas at Wavehill including business support and innovation, employment and skills, renewable energy and place based regeneration. Declan also works across the Wavehill portfolio supporting value for money assessments, including for wellbeing and cultural led initiatives.

Interested in economics for its practical application to ensure resources are being used efficiently and benefits maximised, providing clear project impacts, Declan specialises in quantitative research and using national and international literature and policy to support local economic development. He has led on a number of business cases, funding bids and strategy development, as well as economic impact assessments and a range of project evaluations and policy research. His previous projects include local and national pieces for clients in the private, public and third sector, including Welsh Government and central government departments.

With a 1st Class degree in Economics and Politics, Declan is skilled in report writing and carrying out policy research, manipulating and modelling data in Microsoft Excel, Power BI and ArcGIS and undertaking comprehensive survey designs using Qualtrics.

Originally from Devon, Declan works out of the Wavehill Bristol Office and in his spare time plays national league hockey, while enjoying running, climbing, mountain biking and weekends away in his van.

Oliver has been involved in economic development and regeneration for over 20 years, both as a practitioner and as a consultant.  He has worked in consultancy for the last 14 years, managing and delivering a variety of initiatives: developing strategies, undertaking economic impact assessments and appraisals, and conducting project, programme and organisational evaluations. He has delivered work on behalf of Central Government Departments, various departments of the Welsh Government, Local and Combined Authorities and Local Enterprise Partnerships in addition to work on behalf of the private and third sectors.

His areas of expertise are wide ranging, encompassing; business support, innovation and enterprise, employability and workforce skills, renewables and physical regeneration.

Prior to consultancy, Oliver worked for the South West Regional Development Agency where he was involved in managing economic development projects and supporting strategic and partnership development in relation to enterprise, business support, skills and innovation. Prior to this, Oliver was employed as Strategy Officer for Sussex Enterprise where he managed a variety of European funded business support and enterprise projects and led on the development of the Business Link delivery plan in Sussex.

In addition to his undergraduate degree in Geography, Oliver has a Masters (with distinction) in Local and Regional Economic Development. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, a Member of the Institute of Economic Development, of the UK Evaluation Society and of the Social Value network.

Oliver has a particular love for the outdoors and in his spare time, when he isn't ferrying his children around, you'll typically find him on (or in) the river/sea or at the beach.