Entrepreneur’s transformation into top model

HE WAS a 20st young entrepreneur who underwent a remarkable transformation into a top model, winning assignments with the likes of David Beckham.

Cardiff-born Gwilym Pugh had already made a mark at the age of 21 by founding his own business.

But his career has taken a radical new direction since he lost more than 6st 7lb.

Nowadays, the 33-year-old graces the pages of GQ and has gained fans across the world on Instagram thanks to his rugged good looks.

Gwilym, who played basketball for Wales at under-16 level, operated a life insurance company from his spare bedroom during his younger years.

As a result, he put on weight while working from home and was prevented from training due to a knee injury.

“I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do in uni so I decided to put that off and I ended up working in British Gas and then I started my own financial start-up back in 2006 at the age of 21,” said Gwilym.

His business was going well but he was not happy with his personal situation.

“At that time I was pretty overweight, working 12 hours a day, plagued with injuries which meant I couldn’t train at all.

“The business was doing okay, but I decided I needed to get my life in order and wanted to get healthy again.

“Around about the same time I started a band with my friend, Calum Ross, the Magic Rooster Brothers.

“We were a folk country band and this was around the time I started to grow a beard, which was suggested by my barber, Joel, who had Slunks in the Morgan Arcade. He told me if I was playing the guitar in a folk band, I had to have a beard!”

Gwilym decided to clean up his diet and cut out takeaways, and became more active after quitting his desk job.

He said: “I always keep an eye on my steps and aim for a minimum amount every day, averaging about 15,000 per day.”

As the weight dropped off over five years, and the now-famous beard grew, Gwilym did something that would seal the deal on his new life – he joined Instagram.

“I started using Instagram as a way of social networking and growing my profile and that of the band,” he said.

“It was there I was spotted and shortly after chosen to be the face of Nathan Palmer’s 2015 collection – which gave me a massive boost in confidence. Before that I was pretty shy.”

Gwilym, who is now signed with top London agency AMCK Models, was then photographed for a coffee table book, 100 Beards, and was part of the Red Hot Photography project.

Since then he has worked on campaigns for Vans, Bud Light, Diesel and he’s also worked closely with David Beckham thanks to a Haig Club whiskey project.

Gwilym is now an ambassador for Beckham’s male grooming brand, House 99, and is a Vo5 ambassador for the NME awards.

Speaking about his life now, Gwilym says he is kept grounded by his Australian girlfriend, Liz.

He adds: “I think I’m lucky I got into this profession at the age that I did. I try not to get caught up in it all and my girlfriend helps a great deal with that.”

A keen photographer, Gwilym is hoping to make his own mark on the world with his pictures, taken while travelling the globe.

You can find out what Gwilym is up to via his Instagram account @gwilymcpugh