European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR), organiser of the Heineken Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup tournaments, said it has appointed Dominic McKay as a non-executive director and as its chairman on an interim basis.
McKay was CEO of Glasgow Celtic Football Club for a brief period earlier this year. Before that he was Scottish Rugby’s Chief Operating Officer.
Established in 2014 with headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, EPCR’s shareholders include Federation Francaise de Rugby (FFR), Federazione Italiana Rugby (FIR), Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU), Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR), Premier Rugby Ltd (PRL), PRO Rugby Championship DAC (URC), Rugby Football Union (RFU), Scottish Rugby Union (SRU), Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) and EPCR.
“McKay has extensive experience of rugby administration having held a number of senior and board positions during a 13-year period at Scottish Rugby and at various international organisations,” said EPCR.
“In 2008, he was appointed Director of Communications and Public Affairs at BT Murrayfield before joining the board of Scottish Rugby in 2013.
“He became Scottish Rugby’s Chief Operating Officer in 2015, a position which included oversight of the commercial activities of Glasgow Warriors and Edinburgh Rugby.
“He also served as chairman of the PRO14, now reconstituted as the United Rugby Championship, and was previously a board member of Rugby Europe.
“His most recent role was as Chief Executive of Celtic Football Club. “
Mark McCafferty of EPCR said: “Following the new EPCR agreement concluded in April, we are now entering an exciting era for Heineken Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup rugby beginning with December’s opening rounds of matches.
“There are many initiatives underway to build on the success of the tournaments and on the passion of the clubs, players, fans and partners participating in them.
“So we are delighted at this time to have someone of Dominic’s calibre and experience joining us, and I am sure we shall benefit from his strategic and leadership skills.”
McKay said: “I am delighted and humbled to be asked to chair the EPCR Board and I very much look forward to working with all our stakeholders across Europe as well as with the board and executive team in Lausanne to further develop the Heineken Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup in the months ahead.”