Davina Gillyon is rradar’s Chief Commercial Officer. She has over 20 years’ leadership experience – private and public sector – across 14 countries and 34 regional offices in the Asia Pacific region and UK, including business development, sales and strategic planning; product design, strategic marketing, branding, organisational change, communications and PR.
Tell us about yourself and your background.
I’m originally from Australia, where I started my career in the federal government, and I quickly worked my way up the ranks. It was a fast-paced environment and I learnt a lot quickly working in a central agency responding to critical, high-profile work and reactive media in tight timeframes.
The work was exhilarating but after a decade in government, I was ready for a change and moved into the private sector. I joined the global commercial real estate services firm, Cushman and Wakefield, and was involved in major mergers and acquisitions and associated branding and marketing initiatives. I was then appointed as the CMO for Asia Pacific where I had full responsibility for the marketing operations of 14 countries under my remit, before taking on the global rebrand – just weeks after having my son.
The next big milestone was when, as a family, we decided to move to the UK with our son 7 years ago. Soon after, I met Gary Gallen, founder of rradar. Inspired by his vision, I joined the business and within months, was on the board leading marketing. As the company evolved, so did my role—taking on wider commercial responsibilities and ultimately becoming Chief Commercial Officer.
You’ve had an incredible career spanning over 20 years across global companies. What inspired you to pursue a path in marketing, communications, and commercial strategy?
From a young age, I was always interested in strategic marketing, advertising and sales, and understanding the dynamics of what influenced people’s buying decisions, whether it was campaigns, clever sales strategies, great storytelling or smart branding. It was this curiosity that pushed me into my career. Over the years, I was encouraged to take on a range of different business development, marketing, and other company-wide projects that would expose me to different aspects of the business and teach me so much commercially. I always ask questions and rarely say no when I am asked to take on difficult projects that others may not want to deliver.
I am constantly driven by the opportunity to make a difference through impact and influence. At all points in my career, I have always been able to see the bigger picture and the direct impact my actions and the teams I lead have on an organisation’s success, whether that be driving sales through effective marketing and communication strategies, or through applying analytical and strategic thinking to achieve business goals and growth.
Over the years, my role has evolved and grown into more of a commercial and strategic business role. It feels like a natural fit with my background and experience to date. I know my strengths, equally, I know my weaknesses and am very self-aware of them and this has helped me navigate my career to where it is today.
If I met my younger self tomorrow, I would tell her that she’s on exactly the right path.
Moving from Marketing and Communications Director to Chief Commercial Officer is a big step. What was the biggest challenge in transitioning to a broader commercial role, and how did you navigate it?
I don’t think the transition between roles was a big step, but rather a more natural, complementary one. I joined rradar because I believed in Gary’s vision to disrupt the market with something truly unique. Carving a new path in a legacy industry comes with the challenges of navigating resistance to change and proving our value. I am and always have been commercially minded, and my background in government and commercial real estate has honed my ability to thrive in fast-paced, technical environments. This helped me quickly grasp the nuances of the industries in which rradar and our wider group operates in, and this has ultimately served me in transitioning into a broader commercial role.
I would also say that in my current role, I have a wide-spanning remit, from business development and sales, commercial strategy, product and content design and go-to-market, to strategic marketing and communications, brand management/development, engagement and change management. It is a very diverse mix but calls on all my past experiences and it enables me to bring together the very best minds across the whole of our business who can collaborate to solve challenges, realise opportunities and create value.
And I know we’re doing something right; looking back over this last decade, rradar has grown up through its start-up and scale-up eras, and there is much to celebrate. We have seen strong revenue growth year on year, doubled client numbers in the past few years and enabled customer retention at 98.2%, which is regarded as up there with the best in the industry. On a personal level, I’m honoured to have recently been shortlisted for both the 2025 Yorkshire Leadership Awards and the Women and Diversity in Law. More than anything, I feel proud and humbled to support my teams every day. This recognition is a testament to their incredible ability and their trust in me as a leader.
You’ve worked across multiple industries, from real estate to construction and now legal services. What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned about adapting to different sectors?
I’ve been at rradar now for seven years, and I’ve learnt a lot. I don’t have a background in law or insurance, which is a positive in many ways because it enables me to bring about true disruptive innovation. When I reflect, I can see just how much my depth and breadth of experience has enabled my personal growth, which I have been able to apply to deliver strong business results in any given role. I believe this diversity enables me to bring different ideas to the table, compared to someone else who has only ever worked in one sector. In real terms, if we’re struggling to solve a problem, I can draw on those experiences from various industries to drive forward alternative approaches that others may never have considered.
I would say that the key is being adaptable; it’s critical to take time to learn, understand the industry, and not be afraid to ask questions. That’s what gives you credibility and a seat at the table.
Leading teams across different countries and cultures is no small feat. How do you approach leadership and ensure your teams stay aligned and motivated?
I’m fiercely loyal to the people that I work with, and I expect that back in return. I bring people along with me on that journey because I can’t do it alone. I want my team to aspire to positions they want and find their own career path. Part of that is giving people a “safe harbour” to come back to if they need my counsel and to tap into my experiences as a leader and trusted advisor.
I’m also very collaborative and have always believed in the power of a strong team. As a leader, this requires a strong sense of what a team needs in order to thrive and deliver high performance – which I take very seriously. I have been praised for my ability to build high-performing teams, and my philosophy is to carefully assemble with great precision those individuals who are subject matter experts, keen to learn and ask questions, have different skillsets that complement each other, have strong work ethic and are willing to roll their sleeves up and help each other when their team and peers need it. With the right leadership and team collaboration, these individuals come together and achieve exceptional results, which we hone and refine continuously for even greater performance.
Innovation is at the heart of rradar. What’s one game-changing initiative you’ve helped drive that you’re particularly proud of?
I spearheaded the launch of rrelentless Ltd, an insurance business under the rradar group of companies. We went to market in early 2024 with our first breakthrough product (Cyber Insurance) which has been received incredibly well, and we have plans to bring several new products to market this year.
As an ABS law firm, we are forging new ground in establishing this sister insurance company—making our group of companies now dual accredited by both the SRA and FCA— and in turn, setting a new industry precedent. This has enabled us to create much more value for thousands of businesses because rradar’s unique legal services proposition can be embedded in even more commercial insurance policies. This empowers businesses to take practical steps to proactively prevent and manage the risks they face.
The journey over the last 18 months has been an incredibly rewarding experience in terms of setting up a high-performing team, leading the way in developing their collective knowledge of a complex insurance and legal regulatory landscape, and maximising the opportunity through working with global strategic partners.
We have delivered strong commercial performance since launch, as well as positive engagement in rradar’s embedded legal services – which we are tracking at 12 times higher than the legal services average.
You’re responsible for developing new products and services. How do you stay ahead of industry trends and ensure what you create truly benefits your clients?
Having worked across a diverse range of industries in my career allows me to relate to clients easily. The ‘legalese’ that comes with the legal profession can create a barrier for clients who are less familiar with that language, and I make it a priority to challenge our teams to take those complex concepts and distill them down into manageable and relatable insights for our clients. This enables us to develop innovative products and services, and sits at the heart of the rradar proposition, which is to make the law more accessible so that businesses understand how to prevent risks from affecting their operations.
I’m naturally inquisitive. I ask questions and listen carefully. Speaking to people both within and outside the industries I work in helps me understand issues across a wide range of sectors. I pay close attention to client feedback and how clients interact with our business. Staying connected to former colleagues and professional networks also provides valuable insights that challenge and shape my thinking.
My strategic communications skills enable me to create something that resonates, and that’s unique to our business as a legal enterprise. Because I invest in understanding how to create and sell the service and shape the message, I can ensure it’s delivered effectively to meet the needs of the thousands of clients we support. I never lose sight of the fact that it’s real businesses we’re talking to and here to support.
Women in leadership still face challenges, especially in traditionally male-dominated sectors. Have you faced any barriers along the way, and how did you overcome them?
I was raised to believe I could do anything I wanted. I have a pretty stubborn and headstrong mother. She always encourages and supports me, and taught me to back myself and my decisions and have conviction in that. To this day, that shapes a lot of how I approach things.
I’m not from a legal or insurance leadership background but I love that I don’t fit the mold. That we hire people who also don’t fit the stereotype of a traditional law firm. One could think that could be a barrier, but to be able to disrupt and change the industry we have to be open-minded. Attract people who can see and deliver things differently.
I’m strong willed by nature, but I’ve also worked in cut-throat industries which have helped me develop a thick skin to deal with some difficult and challenging situations. Nothing will change unless we change it, which is why I’m so passionate about coming up through the ranks the way I did. Encouraging others that their career paths may not follow a “traditional” path or work out exactly as they had planned but look at opportunities and projects in different ways. How they can develop you as they may lead to great things. That diversity of thought is so important, and it is so great that we have a lot of female leaders at rradar. Our team is over 50% women and we’re always keen to create more opportunities for our people to grow and succeed.
With such a high-profile career, how do you manage work-life balance, and do you have any tips for others striving to juggle both?
I had my son when I was 36 and then my daughter at 42, still while managing a demanding professional role. I have an incredibly supportive husband, family and close network of friends around me. As well as teams, and colleagues who understand that I may need to juggle a few things now and then with such young kids. Often I am torn when I can’t volunteer at my son’s school disco, or get my daughter ready for a party, but my kids see and know what I do and are proud of what I have achieved for our family.
It’s not easy, but the best advice I can give is to ask for help. Trust others both professionally and personally to support you. This becomes easier when you’re doing something you love in a company you believe in with people that are with you on the journey and you can rely on. My team all know my children by name and will make sure to ask what they’re getting up to. I do the same in return. Qualities like that in a team are important and can make all the difference when you are working hard to achieve your goals and juggling the challenges of raising a family, work deadlines and business priorities.
What advice would you give to aspiring marketing and business leaders looking to make a real impact in their industries?
There are three things I would call out here.
Firstly, you must prioritise learning at every stage in your career. Write everything down and ask lots of questions. Volunteer for work projects that will challenge you and push you out of your comfort zone. Take accountability to seek out knowledge at every opportunity. You are the master of your own destiny and continuous learning will keep you ahead of the curve.
Secondly, invest in building strong relationships. This isn’t just about going to events – but it’s about getting to know your colleagues, industry peers, and customers. It will make your career so much more fulfilling and it will open doors to new opportunities and ideas.
Finally, adaptability and resilience are absolutely imperative. The business environment can be unpredictable. Being adaptable and resilient will help you navigate challenges and quickly work with new opportunities to create value.
