In recent months, the FIA has also been in the spotlight due to the numerous farewells that have hit the Federation, with high-profile names leaving the governing body to pursue other projects.
Just last week, the FIA parted ways with communications director Luke Skipper and mobility general secretary Jacob Bangsgaard, while last winter the departures of sporting director Steve Nielsen and single-seater technical director Tim Goss were announced. In February this year it was also announced that the director of governance and regulations Pierre Ketterer and the head of commercial legal affairs Edward Floyd had left, while in May the first CEO of the FIA, Natalie Robyn, also left.
In the meantime, however, the FIA has tried to find new figures to strengthen its staff, both on the technical, management and marketing front, because the objective announced by President Mohammed Ben Sulayem is also to make the Federation an organization that can end the year with positive results, increasing revenue to make it increasingly effective also on the financial front.
FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem
Photo credit: Dom Romney / Motorsport Images
For this reason, the FIA has announced two appointments at the top of the organisation. Spaniard Alberto Villarreal will join the governing body as general director, while Italian Alessandra Malhame will become the new Senior HR Director.
Villarreal, who will report directly to Ben Sulayem and the Senate President, comes with extensive experience in the automotive sector after working for two decades for the Goodyear tire company, active in both the automotive and motorsport worlds. The Spaniard will contribute to the oversight of the FIA’s operational and financial performance, giving priority to the interests of the Federation’s members in the decision-making process. This aspect is also part of the policy set up by Ben Sulayem to give priority to the members of the FIA by placing them at the center of the interests of the governing body, in what is a sort of internal restructuring desired by the President.
Malhame, who previously worked at Honeywell and Bristol Myers Squibb, will partner with FIA to lead people, human resources and strategy management operations. Speaking about the appointments, Ben Sulayem said: “I am delighted to welcome Alberto and Alessandra to the team.”
“Thanks to Alberto Villarreal’s extensive leadership experience, I am confident that he will manage the sustainability of our financial performance, governance and operations well. Alessandra Malhame brings a wealth of human resources experience to the Federation. I am confident that she will ensure the development of our most precious asset: our people”.
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