Boards
Abi Tierney
Group Chief Executive Office
The Director General for Customer Services at the Home Office joined the WRU as Chief Executive Officer in January, 2024.
Before joining the Civil Service, Tierney was a Business Development Director at Serco, where she also held a number of operational roles, including Regional Director and Chief Executive of Suffolk Community Services.
Prior to this, she was a Director at University Hospitals of Leicester and Aberdeen City Council and was previously Marketing Leader for IBM’s Global Services Business.
She has Welsh connections, as her father hails from Barry in South Wales, and she is a life long supporter of Welsh rugby.
Huw Bevan
WRU Performance Director
Huw Bevan joined as Performance Director (interim) in April 2023.
Bevan replaces Nigel Walker OBE in the role, after he moved to become interim WRU CEO in January this year.
He is a former Cardiff Rugby and Ospreys strength and conditioning coach and has held senior elite sports performance positions within multiple organisations in rugby and cricket during an illustrious career.
Rhodri Lewis
Head of Legal Affairs
Having joined the Group in 2010, he started his legal career at the international law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer in London, before joining the commercial legal department at UEFA (the European football governing body, based in Switzerland) working predominantly on Champions League, Europa League and UEFA European Football Championships matters.
He left UEFA to become the Senior Solicitor at The FA Group and was responsible for a broad range of legal matters in relation to both The Football Association (including in relation to the 2010 FIFA World Cup) and Wembley Stadium.
In 2015, he was named as The Lawyer magazine’s ‘In-House Lawyer of the Year’.
He played rugby throughout his time at Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf and has played for Dinas Powys, for teams in London, Thailand, Hong Kong, Australia and Switzerland and for the University of London.
In July 2021 he was unveiled as the WRU’s Commercial and Legal Director having previously held the role on an intermim capacity. He continued with his position as WRU Group General Counsel, but with added responsibilities for the Group’s commercial activity. He also continued as WRU Company Secretary, a role he has fulfilled since August 2018.
Lydia Sterling
People Director
Lydia Stirling was appointed to the Welsh Rugby Union Executive Board as its new People Director in July 2021.
Stirling, whose family hail from Dinas Powys, is a member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development and joins from multi-national engineering and consulting business Arup, where she was Head of HR for the Consulting UK, India, Middle-East & Africa region.
She was also previously HR Business Partner at Mclaren Racing.
Mark Williams
Stadium Manager
He joined after a military career spanning 20 years during which he rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in The Royal Welsh. He served on multiple tours of duty in Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Kosovo and Iraq and he was decorated for his actions in combat in Iraq in 2007.
During his military career, he held high-profile military appointments in both training and operational environments including time as a Battalion Adjutant, Company Commander and Battle Group Chief of Staff with the 2nd Battalion, The Royal Welsh.
He played rugby for Neath College, Glynneath and his Regiment.
Richard Collier-Keywood – Chair
Richard Collier-Keywood is a former UK managing partner and Global vice-chair of PwC, has been a senior adviser to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and became the first independent chair of the WRU in July 2023.
He is also on the Board of the National Community Lottery Fund and Women of the World, which promotes gender equality internationally.
Jennifer Mathias
Jennifer Mathias joined the WRU Board as an independent Non-Executive Director (iNED), October 2023.
Jennifer currently serves at Group Chief Financial Office (CFO) at Rathbones Group, the £1.2bn wealth management firm listed on the London Stock Exchange.
Starting her career on the Lloyds TSB Finance graduate scheme, Mathias quickly rose through the ranks and held a number a senior management roles at Lloyds TSB Group including finance director of Corporate Banking and head of Credit Risk and Compliance for the Commercial Banking division.
In 2012 she joined Coutts private bank as the Global Chief Finance Officer before moving to EFG Private Bank (UK) in 2015 as chief finance officer and subsequently deputy chief executive officer before taking up the position at Rathbones in 2019.
In 2013 Mathias was named in the PAM Top 40 under 40 (UK wealth management awards recognising rising stars in the industry).
Born and brought up in Pembrokeshire on a family farm, Welsh rugby has been a lifelong passion. Jennifer currently resides in Tenby, West Wales.
Andrew Williams
Andrew Williams was appointed as an independent Non-Executive Director (iNED) in Novemver 2023.
Williams led Halma plc, a global group of life-saving technology companies with operations in over 20 countries, for 18 consecutive years of growth and increased its market capitalisation from £600million to over £8.5billion.
He is also a Founding Patron of GlobalWelsh, the Welsh diaspora organisation, and has been a lifelong Cardiff supporter and gained an in depth understanding of the professional game in Wales as a former Cardiff Rugby Board member.
Whilst leading Halma, he transformed the leadership and culture of the organisation, culminating in Halma being ranked No.2 out of 600+ companies across Europe for gender diversity in leadership positions and Williams himself voted by his peers for a prestigious Involve HERoes Women Role Model award as the No.1 global ‘Advocate Executive’.
Originally from Heath in Cardiff, he attended Llanishen High School followed by gaining an Engineering degree at the University of Birmingham, and subsequently qualifying as a Chartered Engineer.
He has also studied in the Advanced Management Programme at The Wharton Business School, University of Pennsylvania.
Alison Thorne
Alison Thorne is from Penarth, has a commercial background in the retail sector as an Executive Director andat the time of her appointment as an Independent Non-Executive Directors (INED) of the WRU in June 2023, she was Chair of the National Dance Company Wales and Chair of Barcud Housing Association.
She is a former chair of leading equality charity Chwarae Teg and is the Lead in Wales for Women on Boards. Creating inclusive organisations is her core aim with insightful awareness of the challenges and opportunities in delivering diversity in thinking.
She holds a number of further current non-Exec roles including Board member at Sport Wales, Governor of Cardiff Metropolitan University, and is an independent panel member for Public Appointments for Welsh Government. Her love for rugby stems from her father, Tony Thorne, who was a groundsman at the former National Stadium, Cardiff Arms Park in 1970s & 1980s.
Amanda Bennett
Amanda Bennett, a former Welsh international who has played, coached and led women’s rugby over a stellar 40-year career, took up the new position of iNED with specific experience of the Women’s and Girls’ game at both professional and community levels in October 2023.
Bennett is a decorated former player with Saracen’s women, was Wales’ first women’s flyhalf in the inaugural 1987 side and is a veteran of two Rugby World Cups who later became head coach in 1998-2000.
Her achievements off the pitch are just as impressive as those on it, a former teacher she worked for UK Sport for a decade and has since established FairPlay Enterprises Ltd, advising on governance, leadership and EDI for the likes of the Premier League and all four home Unions. In 2021, respected around the globe as a leader in her field, she was asked to become a member of the independent panel which carried out a strategic review of the WRU Women’s Performance programme.
Jamie Roberts
Former Wales international, Jamie Roberts, joined the WRU Board as an independent Non-Executive Director in October 2023.
Considered a Welsh rugby legend, Roberts gained 94 caps for Wales in a career which includes Grand Slam wins in 2008 and 2012, a Six Nations Championship title in 2013 and a RWC semi-final appearance in 2011. Roberts has also represented the British & Irish Lions on two tours in 2009, where he was voted Player of the Series, and the 2013 winning tour to Australia.
Roberts has also enjoyed success with Cardiff Rugby winning the European Challenge Cup in 2010 and he played at the region from 2006 to 2013. His playing career spanned 16 years in which he also featured for Racing Metro Paris, Harlequins, Bath Rugby, Western Stormers, Dragons RFC and New South Wales Waratahs.
Alongside his professional playing career Roberts completed a degree in Medicine from Cardiff University, gaining first class honors for an intercalated degree in Sport & Excercie Science (BSc) in 2013
He also sits on the Board of the Lions Trust and serves as a player representative on the World Rugby High-Performance Committee.
Since his retirement from international rugby, Roberts has become a well-known voice of Welsh rugby as a commentator for broadcasters including Sky, BT Sport, BBC, ITV, Amazon, and most recent at the Rugby World Cup for ITV.
Abi Tierney
The Director General for Customer Services at the Home Office joined the WRU as Chief Executive Officer in January, 2024.
Before joining the Civil Service, Tierney was a Business Development Director at Serco, where she also held a number of operational roles, including Regional Director and Chief Executive of Suffolk Community Services.
Prior to this, she was a Director at University Hospitals of Leicester and Aberdeen City Council and was previously Marketing Leader for IBM’s Global Services Business.
She has Welsh connections, as her father hails from Barry in South Wales, and she is a life long supporter of Welsh rugby.
Colin Wilks
Joined the Board in November 2021. He is also a District Council Member for District A, and current chair of the WRU Competitions Management Committee.
A former director, chairman and secretary at Risca RFC, Colin also served as director at the Dragons region for two years from 2021 – 2023.
Now retired, his business background was as a manager in both the mining, and steel industries, spanning both manufacturing and commercial sectors.
A former School Governor, he is a University of Glamorgan engineering graduate and holds a postgraduate degree in business administration from the University of Wales.
Chris Jones
Joined the Board in 2018 and is now a District Council Member for District G.
A one club man, he was a founding member of Newcastle Emlyn and has been its Secretary since its formation in 1977.
He is a life member of the club as well as a past player, captain and coach.
He is a former coach to the Welsh Schools Intermediate (Under 16) international side.
He also chaired the Intermediate Group and the Schools Council.
He represented the Schools on the old WRU Committee.
Educated at Llandysul Grammar School and Loughborough Colleges, he taught PE for 35 years until his retirement in 2010.
Malcolm Wall
Was appointed to the Board in March 2022, having been appointed to chair the Professional Rugby Board.
A former chair of Premiership Rugby side Harlequin F.C., Wall has extensive high level business experience including a range of high profile non-executive directorships and several chief executive (CEO), chief operating officer (COO) or managing director (MD) roles, across the media industry.
Also chair of three separate media companies – including dock10 Ltd, the Media City production facility and largest independent television studios in the UK, he was formally CEO and then advisor to the board at Abu Dhabi Media and most recently MD at Song Lin Ltd, before forming his own consultancy Malcolm Wall Media in 2013.
Wall has been Meridian Broadcasting deputy CEO, lead the multinational media company United Business Media as COO and was CEO, Content for Virgin Media LLC.
He has also run Virgin Media’s content business, including Virgin Media Television and was chairman of UKTV.
John Manders
Was elected as a National Council Member in July 2020 and was re-elected in September 2021.
A former sergeant with South Wales Police, he was capped by Wales at youth level and toured South Africa in 1980.
He played for Cardiff, Newport and Pontypridd but is a stalwart of Old Illtydians rugby club.
After retiring from the Police Service, he has continued to work as an assessor, lectures in law at the University of South Wales, is also artistic director at Tickledom Theatrical Productions and a director of learning at Credwch Ltd.
He was elected to the position of Community Game Board chair in November 2022 which saw him also join the WRU Board in place of outgoing WRU chair Rob Butcher.
Claire Donovan
Was elected as a National Council Member in September 2021.
An experienced Board Director and Technical Director working in the high profile food sector who has held Director positions on several international fresh produce companies, including G’s Fresh, one of the largest salad producers in the UK & Europe, and is the owner/director of 3i Technical Consulting.
A former Wales Women international, with 75 caps at second row, Claire played in two World Cups, and was a Saracens Women’s player for over 15 years. She is passionate about Women’s and Girls sport and ensuring there is access for all. She has also worked as a lobbyist translating the needs of the horticultural industry into government policy and as a government advisor.
Whilst in position at the WRU she has engaged with external stakeholders around many areas, including access to rugby for Women and Girls, Governance and improvement of facilities
She was a member of the all-party government working group on licencing of labour provision which lead to the Gangmasters (Licencing) Act 2004 (2003- 2004). This involved leading a diverse group of industry unions (T&GWU and the NFU) Charities (Ethical Trading Initiative) retailers and both sides of the Houses of Commons and Lords, influencing and advising in order to fundamentally change how seasonal workers are treated and protected
Chaired by John Manders, all National Council Members and District Council Members Council Members are entitled to be members of the WRU’s Community Rugby Board, together with a maximum of two Executive Board members with responsibilities for Community Rugby (which includes Geraint John, given his Executive responsibilities as the WRU’s Community Director).
The Community Rugby Board is responsible for managing and delivering the execution of the strategy for Community Rugby as set by the WRU Council and approved by the WRU’s Board of Directors from time to time.
ABI TIERNEY
Abi Tierney, one of the UK’s senior civil servants, will be the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU).
The Director General for Customer Services at the Home Office will join the WRU as Chief Executive Officer in January, 2024. Before joining the Civil Service, Abi Tierney was a Business Development Director at Serco, where she also held a number of operational roles, including Regional Director and Chief Executive of Suffolk Community Services.
Prior to this, she was a Director at University Hospitals of Leicester and Aberdeen City Council and was previously Marketing Leader for IBM’s Global Services Business.
Abi has Welsh connections, as her father hails from Barry in South Wales, and she is a life long supporter of Welsh Rugby.
RHODRI LEWIS
Joined the Group in 2010.
He started his legal career at the international law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer in London, before joining the commercial legal department at UEFA (the European football governing body, based in Switzerland) working predominantly on Champions League, Europa League and UEFA European Football Championships matters.
He left UEFA to become the Senior Solicitor at The FA Group and was responsible for a broad range of legal matters in relation to both The Football Association (including in relation to the 2010 FIFA World Cup) and Wembley Stadium.
In 2015, he was named as The Lawyer magazine’s ‘In-House Lawyer of the Year’.
He played rugby throughout his time at Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Glantaf and has played for Dinas Powys, for teams in London, Thailand, Hong Kong, Australia and Switzerland and for the University of London.
In July 2021 he was unveiled as the WRU’s Commercial and Legal Director having previously held the role on an intermim capacity. He continued with his position as WRU Group General Counsel, but with added responsibilities for the Group’s commercial activity. He also continued as WRU Company Secretary, a role he has fulfilled since August 2018.
MARK WILLIAMS
Joined the Group in 2013 after a distinguished career in the military.
He joined the WRU after a military career spanning 20 years during which he rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in The Royal Welsh. He served on multiple tours of duty in Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Kosovo and Iraq and he was decorated for his actions in combat in Iraq in 2007.
During his military career, he held high-profile military appointments in both training and operational environments including time as a Battalion Adjutant, Company Commander and Battle Group Chief of Staff with the 2nd Battalion, The Royal Welsh.
He played rugby for Neath College, Glynneath and his Regiment.
Paul Orders
Paul Orders is Chief Executive of the City of Cardiff Council, taking up the post in December 2013. He has responsibility for the officer leadership of 17,000 staff and strategic management of council services in the Capital City of Wales.
He is also lead chief executive of the Central South Education Consortium – which aims to raise standards in schools in Cardiff, the Vale of Glamorgan, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Bridgend and Merthyr.
Previously, he was Chief Executive of Dunedin City Council, in New Zealand, where he led council management and staff through a period of change, focusing on financial management, the delivery and performance of council services, organisational development, and city development.
This followed 13 years working for Cardiff Council in a succession of roles, ending up as Corporate Director with management responsibilities that included economic development, regeneration, planning and transport, parks, leisure, venues, and waste management.
Since joining the Council he has contributed to many of the major projects and initiatives that have underpinned Cardiff’s development as a successful European Capital City. Paul comes from Maesteg and attended Archbishop McGrath Comprehensive School, in Tondu.
He is a graduate of the Universities of Cardiff, London and Cambridge, where he obtained a doctorate in history, and is an Honorary Research Fellow at Cardiff University. He is married with three children.
Sameer Rahman
Officially appointed to the Board in January 2020.
A well-respected and sought-after leader specialising in data and digital transformation.
Has held several senior roles in financial services organisations across Wales including companies like GoCompare and as a consultant advising companies like Jaguar Land Rover, Legal and General, Shell, Royal British Legion and Marie Curie.
He is currently employed as a part of the leadership team at The Royal Mint to support and drive the data and digital re-invention of the Mint.
He has also held various non-executive roles and is currently serving non-executive director at The Glamorgan Cricket Club. In the past, he has also served as the Chairman of Chartered Institute of Marketing in Wales.
Sameer has lived in Cardiff for 16 years and is dedicated to making sports more accessible, engaging, entertaining and far-reaching through the adoption of digital technologies. He firmly believes that sport is one of the best ways of learning life skills such as teamwork, communication, coping with pressure, thinking and other cognitive and collaborative skills.
He holds multidisciplinary educational qualifications, a MBA preceded by Computer-Science Engineering degree and postgraduate degrees in data management, web analytics and digital marketing.
He is also an international author having published books and journals on data and digital related topics.
Huw Thomas
Cardiff City Council appointed Board Director
The PRB comprises representatives from each of the five professional entities in Welsh rugby and consists of the four regional representatives, Richard Holland (Cardiff Rugby), David Wright (Dragons RFC), Lance Bradley (Ospreys) and Simon Muderack (Scarlets), WRU CEO Abi Tierney, WRU interim finance director Dan Mills and two independent members – Malcolm Wall, who is chair, and Marianne Økland.
Gareth Lewis (WRPA) and Jon Daniels (RMB Chair) will also be observers with no voting powers
National Council Members
Colin Charvis
John Manders
Claire Donovan
Anthony Buchanan
Sue Butler
District A
Bryn Parker – Joined the Board in 2016 and is now a District Council Member for District A.
During a productive playing career, he played for Blaenavon, Pontypool, Talywain, Garndiffaith and Croesyceiliog. He has also managed and coached Blaenavon, Talywain, Garndiffaith and Croesyceiliog.
He was honorary secretary of Cwmbran from 2006 – 2018, is now a Life member and a member of the Committee. He has been team manager of Monmouthshire County since 2004.
He is a Level 2 Coach. He works in various schools, supporting children of all ages, abilities and behaviours. He was formerly a senior technical process operator and training officer. He has also been a children’s mentor/ co-ordinator for Children in Need.
He is a former community councillor and was appointed chair of the Pontypool Community Council in 2016 and is a former School Governor.
Colin Wilks – Joined the Board in November 2021. He is also a District Council Member for District A, and current chair of the WRU Competitions Management Committee.
A former director, chairman and secretary at Risca RFC, Colin also served as director at the Dragons region for two years from 2021 – 2023.
Now retired, his business background was as a manager in both the mining, and steel industries, spanning both manufacturing and commercial sectors.
A former School Governor, he is a University of Glamorgan engineering graduate and holds a postgraduate degree in business administration from the University of Wales.
District B
Lloyd Morgan
Gwyn Bowden – Played for Taffs Well, Beddau and Rhiwbina, later taking on the roles of fixture secretary and chairman of Taffs Well, where he is a life member.
Became a WRU Referee in 1980 and progressed to premier grade before retiring in 1999, later becoming a referee’s adviser/coach.
In more recent times, he has officiated as a Citing Commissioner at games in the PRO12, European Cup and internationals, joining the WRU Board in 2015.
Now retired, he was self-employed in the manufacture of purpose made furniture and was a senior design consultant for a national company
District C
Roy Wilkinson
Rob Butcher – Butcher spent two years as Chair of the Welsh Rugby Union from 2020, helping steer the business through the challenges of the pandemic and was re-appointed to the WRU Council in 2022.
He first joined the Board in October 2015 and was re-elected to the Board in November 2019. During this period he was appointed as Chair of the Competitions Committee and later Chair of the Community Rugby Board. He is also one of the District Council Member for District C.
He is a one club man having been associated with Bargoed RFC since leaving school in the late 1960’s and recently accepted life membership of the club. He was the captain for five successive years from the mid to late 1970’s. Once his playing career ended, he joined the club’s committee. With an unbroken service with his beloved Bargoed, and in 2015 he completed a 22nd year as club honorary secretary.
On leaving college he took up a teaching post within Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council and enjoyed a career in education until his retirement.
District D
Steve Owens
Kerry Frey
District E
Jeff Davies – Joined in 2019 as a District Council Member for District E. He is a director and chair of Seven Sisters Rugby Club Ltd and has been a Community Councillor of Seven Sisters for over 12 years.
A qualified level 3 coach, he is a former player, captain and was integral in setting up Women’s Youth and Girls Rugby in the club. The club now also runs the Valley Hawkes Girls Hub.
As the chairperson for Seven Sisters for over 10 years he guided them to become a limited company.
He is also chair of the Dulais Valley Food Bank, a director of the Community Hall Association Of Seven Sisters Ltd and works as a Business Development Manager for DANSA LTD, which provides wheelchair accessible transport services to communities in the Dulais, Afan, Neath, Swansea & Amman Valleys.
Phil Thomas – Joined the Board in 2015 and was re-elected to the Board in March 2019, following the transition period for the governance changes that were approved at the 2018 AGM.
He is also a District Council Member for District E. From Clydach, he is a former Wales Schools U16 international and played youth rugby for Morriston before joining Vardre where he became club secretary, vice chair and then chair in 2012.
Awarded life membership by the club in 2020. He retired in 2018 after 40 years’ service in the Finance Department of the City and County of Swansea
District F
Kevin Lewis
District G
Chris Jones – Joined the Board in 2018 and is now a District Council Member for District G.
A one club man, he was a founding member of Newcastle Emlyn and has been its Secretary since its formation in 1977.
He is a life member of the club as well as a past player, captain and coach.
He is a former coach to the Welsh Schools Intermediate (Under 16) international side.
He also chaired the Intermediate Group and the Schools Council.
He represented the Schools on the old WRU Committee.
Educated at Llandysul Grammar School and Loughborough Colleges, he taught PE for 35 years until his retirement in 2010.
District H
Delyth Summons
District J
Alun Roberts – Was elected as a District Council Member for District J in September 2021.
He is a director and founder member of Clwb Rygbi Caernarfon having begun his involvement as a player, he became a coach, secretary and committee member and is a former chair, and is currently the President.
He is also former chair of the North Wales Rugby Union Council, and continues to be a member of the Executive.
He retired from full time employment with BT/Openreach in 2018 after 37 years of service, including as project manager for the rollout of Superfast Broadband across Wales.
He now volunteers at Hosbis Dewi Saint.