Natalie Robyn, the first chief executive in the FIA’s history, has decided to leave the governing body at the end of this month to pursue a different business. Robyn had been operational since November 2022, called by the president, Mohammed Ben Sulayem to change the management structure of the International Federation…
Natalie has never sought the spotlight, preferring to work hard under the radar: Robyn was chosen after having had over 15 years of experience in the automotive sector. Before arriving in the Federation you had been CEO of Volvo in Switzerland since 2017, having had managerial experience at Nissan and DaimlerChrysler.
The task that had been entrusted to Robyn was to lead a restructuring of the FIA to modernize its governance and provide financial stability to a structure that had accumulated liabilities. Robyn has expressed her desire to return to the automotive industry by reaching an agreement with Ben Sulayem to exit the International Federation by the end of May.
“Being CEO of the FIA has been an enormous privilege and I am grateful to have led a program of restructuring and reform of the International Federation – explained Robyn -. Now is the time to look elsewhere in the knowledge that the structure has more solid foundations to face the challenges that await it in a better position”.
FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem was keen to underline that “…Natalie had a strategic role having been the first CEO in the history of the FIA. You contributed to a broad reorganization of both our operational and management structure, achieving good financial sustainability. On behalf of the FIA, I wish her well in her future endeavors.”
Robyn’s exit is the result of concerted action, but the FIA loses another important figure. Last year, the sporting director, Steve Nielsen, and the single-seater technical director, Tim Goss, left. The two resigned before Deborah Mayer also left her position as head of the Women’s Commission.
Jan Monchaux, former Alfa Romeo technical director, has taken over from Tim Goss, and reports directly to Nikolas Tombazis, technical manager of the single-seaters. Steve Nielsen, however, found his successor in Tim Malyon, promoted from the role of security manager.
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