Source – RacingNews365.com
In order to “bring leadership to the FIA Administration,” Alberto Villarreal, a Spaniard, joined as general manager and reported to Ben Sulayem and Senate President Carmelo Sanz de Barros.
Formula One’s governing body, the FIA, has made waves once again with two senior appointments following a series of high-profile exits that sparked widespread speculation about the organization’s stability. Led by President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, the FIA has announced the addition of Spaniard Alberto Villarreal as its new general manager. Reporting directly to Ben Sulayem and Senate President Carmelo Sanz de Barros, Villarreal steps into a role previously held by Natalie Robyn, who departed in May after just 18 months as the FIA’s first-ever CEO. Robyn’s exit marked the fourth senior departure since December, raising concerns over internal disarray.
Villarreal’s appointment is seen as a move to restore leadership within the FIA’s administration, with his role becoming more streamlined compared to Robyn’s, potentially to better align with the federation’s evolving governance structure. However, the series of key figures leaving their posts, including sporting director Steve Nielsen, single-seater technical director Tim Goss, and women’s commission head Deborah Mayer, has stirred further questions about the internal dynamics at the FIA. This exodus has been compounded by the loss of other significant personnel such as the director of communications, the secretary general of mobility, the head of commercial legal affairs, and the governance and regulatory director.
In addition to Villarreal, the FIA has also brought in Italian Alessandra Malhame as the senior HR director, signaling a broader effort to stabilize operations within the organization. These changes come at a crucial time for Ben Sulayem, who took office as FIA president at the end of 2021 and is expected to stand for re-election next year. Ben Sulayem, a former rally driver, has already had a turbulent tenure, frequently clashing with Formula One’s commercial rights holders, Liberty Media, and the drivers themselves.
Despite indicating earlier in 2023 that he would step back from daily involvement in Formula One to focus on long-term strategic matters, Ben Sulayem has remained a headline figure. His comparison of F1 drivers to rappers and criticism of their language use — with Max Verstappen notably ordered to perform community service for swearing at a press conference during the Singapore Grand Prix — has only added fuel to the ongoing debate about his leadership style.
Ben Sulayem’s election manifesto had promised to appoint a CEO to drive an integrated, aligned operation, and to implement a revised governance framework. While these recent appointments might help the FIA regain its footing after months of upheaval, the organization’s leadership will undoubtedly remain under scrutiny as it navigates its path forward under Ben Sulayem’s direction, with questions still lingering about the future stability of the organization and his role in shaping it.
