Euroleague Basketball is proud to announce that Mr. Derya Yannier, General Manager of Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul, has been selected as the winner of the 2024–25 Gianluigi Porelli EuroLeague Executive of the Year award.
This prestigious award recognizes the executive whose leadership and strategic decisions most effectively exemplify excellence across all areas of club management throughout the season. Key evaluation criteria include sporting success, business growth, fan experience, marketing innovation, and overall organizational impact.
Mr. Yannier’s leadership has been instrumental in Fenerbahçe’s return to the top of European basketball. After reaching the EuroLeague Playoffs in the 2022–23 season and the Final Four in 2023–24, the club reached its pinnacle during the 2024–25 campaign. Fenerbahce finished second in the Regular Season standings, overcame Paris Basketball in the Playoffs, and ultimately lifted the EuroLeague championship trophy in Abu Dhabi following a decisive victory over AS Monaco — marking the club’s second EuroLeague title and its first since 2017.
Beyond on-court success, the 2024–25 season was marked by significant off-court achievements for Fenerbahce under Mr. Yannier’s guidance. The club recorded a 10% increase in average game attendance and launched innovative marketing initiatives, including the widely acclaimed “Yellow the Canary” campaign. This brand strategy leveraged the team’s official mascot across digital, experiential, and cross-platform channels, creating a deeper emotional connection with the fanbase and setting a new benchmark for club engagement.
Derya Yannier’s lifelong commitment to basketball spans both playing and executive roles. A former professional player for clubs including Ulkerspor, Besiktas, and Banvit, Yannier retired at age 28 due to injury. He subsequently transitioned into basketball management, first serving as General Director of Eskisehir Basket and later as Director of Men’s Leagues at the Turkish Basketball Federation. He joined Fenerbahce in 2021 as Assistant to then-General Manager Maurizio Gherardini, and was promoted to General Manager in 2022.
The Gianluigi Porelli EuroLeague Executive of the Year award has been presented annually since 2005. Named after the legendary Virtus Bologna president and ULEB founder, the award honors those who shape Turkish Airlines EuroLeague clubs into sustainable and competitive success stories. Mr. Yannier becomes the second Fenerbahçe executive to receive this honor, following Maurizio Gherardini’s selection in the 2016–17 season.
Euroleague Basketball congratulates Mr. Yannier for his outstanding contributions and visionary leadership.
