ERL Board of Directors

The European Rugby League Federation Ltd Board of Directors is charged with the management of the company's business; they make the strategic and operational decisions of the company and are responsible for ensuring that the company meets its statutory obligations. Members of the Board can be reached by emailing [email protected] in the first instance.

Dean Andrew OBE | Independent Director | Chairperson
Dean joined the Royal Air Force from school and achieved the rank of Air Commodore following a career based mainly overseas. His most recent appointment was as Deputy Commander NATO Air Command & USAF Command Vice in Afghanistan, where he acted as deputy commander for over 9,000 personnel from 41 nations, His love of rugby league began in his native city of Hull and was evidenced during his military career when elected president of both the Royal Air Force and UK Armed Forces Rugby League for almost two decades, which also included a leading role in the organisation of the 2013 Armed Forces Rugby League World Cup.
Board Sub-Committee Membership: Chairperson, Remuneration & Nominations Committee.

Tatiana Doncaster| Independent Director
Tatiana is a chartered management accountant with extensive experience in transformative change in diverse industries and charities and is recognised as a mentor and successful business partner with global teams and high-level executives.
Board Sub-Committee Membership: Finance, Audit & Risk Committee

Richard Coleman| Independent Director
Richard is CEO of a Sports Management Company in the UK and a highly experienced sports marketing and business advisor. He has personally brokered over $100m of sponsorship in Formula 1, World Cycling, Cricket, Soccer, Snooker and other motor sports in a two-decade career which includes working in a range of industries working with leading global brands and rights holders. 
Board Sub-Committee Membership: 

Brian Juliff | Member Elected Director
Brian joined the board in September 2020. Now Chairman of Wales Rugby League, he made 8 appearances for Wales between 1979 and 1985 in a career spanning 270 professional Rugby League appearances for clubs including Wakefield Trinity, Wigan, Castleford and Halifax, with whom he was a Challenge Cup winner in 1987. Professionally Brian is a business and management consultant.
Board Sub-Committee Membership: Finance, Audit & Risk Committee, Commercial Committee, European Club Competition Working Group

Gurol Yildiz | Member Elected Director
Gurol joined the board in January 2022 following the enlargement of the board, approved at the 2021 AGM. 2020. Born in Turkey, he and his parents emigrated to Australia when he was six months old but he returned to the country aged 27. He has overseen the growth of the Turkey’s domestic competition which now sees men's, women's and youth sides playing. 
Board Sub-Committee Membership

Ileana Iacopetti | Member Elected Director 
Now retired, Ileana's career saw her working in clinical research within a cluster involving nine European nations where she managed the budgets, organising cluster meetings, lead on marketing and organising medical congresses and product launches. In Rugby League, she joined the board of the Italian Rugby League Federation as treasurer as well as supporting FIRL's national teams with hosting and travelling to games and tournaments. 
Board Sub-Committee Membership: 

Alison O'Brien | RFL Appointed Director
Currently Director of Insight & Customer at the Rugby Football League, Alison represents the Rugby Football League on the board of European Rugby League, having worked for the governing body in England since 2015. Prior to joining the RFL, Alison worked in insight and strategy roles with major FMCG companies and food retailers in the UK.
Board Sub-Committee Membership: Remuneration & Nominations Committee,

Gilles Dumas| FFRXIII Appointed Director
Following a playing career which saw him make 27 appearances for France between 1986 and 1993, Gilles also took the coaching reigns of the French national team for 24 games between 1998 and 2003, winning 10 of those fixtures.  He is currently the high performance director within the French Federation and brings elite level experience to the ERL board.
Board Sub-Committee Membership: