YAS Team

Paul has a degree in Engineering with Business Studies. He worked at ING Finance for 10 years in various roles including credit underwriter and operations manager progressing to director of national accounts. In 2001 he joined Russells and is currently CEO. Russells have seven branches across Yorkshire, one in Derbyshire and one in Northampton following the purchase of Hallmark Tractors. Russells supply agricultural, construction and ground care machinery, employing over 140 staff. Paul is a member of the Trade Stand Committees and a Trustee.

Dairy farmer Rachel Coates from Shipley, West Yorkshire, is a member of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society Council and farms with her family on the edge of Baildon Moor and the urban fringe. She has been part of the GYS cattle committee for a number of years and Rachel’s family have shown dairy cattle at the Great Yorkshire Show for around 15 years, winning Holstein Champion for two years running in 2023 and 2022. Rachel has worked in advertising, retail, education, and agriculture, and is currently a director of a Community Interest Company which runs her local farmer’s market. Passionate about British food, Rachel is also a member of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society’s Women In Farming Network and enjoys volunteering at the Society’s Countryside Days for schoolchildren at the Great Yorkshire Showground.

Allister Nixon, a graduate of York University, Strathclyde Business School and a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland, joined the Society as CEO in 2022. Coming from Castle Howard Estate Ltd, where he worked with the Howard family to drive the historic 9,000 acre estate forward, helping to manage its portfolio of businesses including a holiday park, retail, catering, farming and forestry. Allister also has significant and varied experience working within large multinational PLCs including WPP plc, Allied Domecq plc and Reuters plc. His previous positions include Global COO and CFO at Kantar Media Audiences with responsibility for the organisation’s regional operations where he helped in the setting up of new business in countries across North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Brought up in Edinburgh he loves rugby and golf and is now happily living with his family and two dogs in North Yorkshire.

Rodrica, from near Beverley, East Yorkshire, studied Land Economy at the University of Cambridge before qualifying as a rural practice chartered surveyor. After a brief spell in the industry, Rodrica returned to the family business in East Yorkshire which involves a holiday park, farming and forestry, and the Burton Constable Foundation charitable trust. In addition, Rodrica co-managed with her late husband their family farm in Northumberland, while bringing up their now adult family. She continues to work full-time between both businesses. Rodrica is involved in a number of charities and rural organisations.

HRH The Princess Royal has been a regular visitor to the Great Yorkshire Show, first attending in 1992 and then subsequently in 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022.

She becomes the first royal President since HRH The Duchess of Kent in 1972 and follows in the footsteps of the Show’s first female President, her great aunt Princess Mary, later The Princess Royal and Countess of Harewood, who took the role in 1937, 1951 and 1957.

The Princess Royal is an expert horsewoman. Throughout her life she has regularly taken part in the Horse of the Year Show at Wembley. In 1971 she won the individual European Three-Day Event at Burghley and was nominated Sportswoman of the Year. She was also voted the BBC’s Sports Personality in 1971. The Princess Royal competed in the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games as a member of the British Three-Day Event team.

Her Royal Highness is President of the British Olympic Association and a Member of the International Olympic Committee.