Co-Chair
Representative on the Tracks and Activities Project
Representative on the Wellbeing and Hydrotherapy Centre Project
Yuri is the Managing Director of the Sheffield based major sports events company, MLS Contracts Ltd., Chairman of the BBraun Sheffield Sharks basketball franchise, and Director of Park Community Arena Ltd, which is driving the construction of the £14 million multi-purpose community arena development on Sheffield’s Olympic Legacy Park.
The arena will become the permanent home of the Sheffield Sharks basketball franchise, among other sports clubs and will be the new home of MLS.
In terms of his personal career, following a first-class Honours Degree from Loughborough University in Business and Management Science, Yuri has worked in the automotive industry before choosing sports as a professional career.
He established the professional basketball franchise, the Sheffield Sharks in 1991, is a director of the British Basketball League, and a current Member of the Council for the Sheffield Chamber of Commerce.
His previous roles include Chairman of the charity Autism Plus, President of the Sheffield Chamber of Commerce, Regional Community Champion for Sport (Yorkshire and Humber - appointed by the Dept of Culture Media and Sport), a former Director of the National Skills Academy for Sport and Active Leisure, as well as Chair of the Yorkshire Academy.
Yuri is of Ukrainian and Italian descent, has lived in Stocksbridge with his family for the past 15 years and was a governor at both Wharncliffe Side Primary School and until a couple fo years ago, Stocksbridge High School. He attends St. Ann’s Church in Deepcar.
Since his time at MLS, Yuri and fellow directors have helped attract and stage over thirty international major events across the UK ranging from the European Swimming Championships to the World Transplant Games, European Olympic Boxing Championships, World Canoe Slalom Championships, World Games for the Blind, to the Women’s World Lacrosse Championships.
As the company grew, Yuri’s role increasingly became linked to the acquisition of major events for host cities and various organisations, analysing their economic feasibility/viability, whilst providing consultancy services on sports and major events with his fellow directors.
On a personal level, Yuri attends St. Ann’s Church in Deepcar, is an avid basketball fan, has played cricket and football, but is now restricted to painful early-morning jogging!