Matt Davies

Head of Economic Development

Royal Docks

Matt Davies is an experienced regeneration and economic development specialist with more than 20 years of insight working across the public, private, and third sectors, principally in east London.

He currently leads the Royal Docks Team’s Economy programme, overseeing a programme of initiatives focused on placemaking, enterprise support, and inclusive growth in the Royal Docks, working on behalf of both the Mayor of London (as landowner) and Mayor of Newham (as local authority). Matt’s work has focused extensively on the intersection of place, economy, and creativity. Prior to his current role, Matt delivered high-profile regeneration programmes for multiple London boroughs:

In Enfield, he was socio-economic lead for the 10,000-home Meridian Water development, a project that included pioneering the Building BloQs open access factory for creative makers.
In Haringey, he authored the successful High Street Fund bid for Tottenham, securing £12 million in external investment and unlocking matching capital funds. He also played a key role in the delivery of the Tottenham High Road Strategy.
In Lambeth, Matt supported the development of the Loughborough Junction Works — an affordable workspace initiative funded by the GLA’s Good Growth Fund.

Earlier in his career, Matt led major regeneration initiatives in Hackney, including the delivery of 15+ play areas as part of the Play Pathfinder programme, significant capital investment programmes under the EC1 New Deal for Communities, delivered a range of evaluations, and wrote a range of strategies and policies around neighbourhood regeneration.

Matt holds MSc degrees from UCL (Spatial Planning) and LSE (Environmental Policy), and BA(Hons) in Economics from the University of Leicester.

His expertise lies in strategic placemaking, creative sector development, public/private partnerships, and inclusive economic growth. Throughout his career, Matt has worked to connect communities, public institutions, and creative practitioners to unlock shared value and long-term resilience, particularly in underinvested parts of London. He brings a deep understanding of the city’s socio-economic landscape and a proven ability to translate complex policy goals into real, visible change.