In recent months, the FIA has been in the spotlight due to several key figures leaving the Federation, as high-profile individuals have moved on to other projects.
Just last week, the FIA parted ways with communications director Luke Skipper and secretary general for mobility Jacob Bangsgaard, while last winter it was announced that sporting director Steve Nielsen and single-seater technical director Tim Goss were leaving. In February of this year, the departure of governance and regulations director Pierre Ketterer and head of commercial legal affairs Edward Floydd was announced, followed by the resignation of the FIA’s first CEO, Natalie Robyn, in May.
However, in the meantime, the FIA has been seeking to recruit new figures to strengthen its staff on the technical, managerial, and marketing fronts. The goal, announced by President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, is to make the Federation an organization capable of closing the year with a positive balance, increasing revenue to become more effective financially.
To this end, the FIA has announced two top-level appointments. Spaniard Alberto Villarreal will join the governing body as general manager, while Italian Alessandra Malhame will become the new Senior HR Director.
Villarreal, who will report directly to Mohammed Ben Sulayem and the president of the Senate, brings extensive experience in the automotive sector, having worked for two decades at tire company Goodyear, which is active in both the automotive and motorsport worlds. He will help oversee the FIA’s operational and financial performance, prioritizing the interests of the Federation’s members in decision-making processes. This aligns with Ben Sulayem’s policy of putting FIA members at the center of the governing body’s interests, part of an internal restructuring led by the President.
Malhame, who previously worked at Honeywell and Bristol Myers Squibb, will collaborate with the FIA to lead personnel management, human resources, and strategy operations. Speaking about the appointments, Mohammed Ben Sulayem said, “I am pleased to welcome Alberto and Alessandra to the team.”
“With Alberto Villarreal’s extensive leadership experience, I am confident he will successfully manage the sustainability of our financial performance, governance, and operations. Alessandra Malhame brings significant expertise in human resources to the Federation. I am sure she will ensure the development of our most valuable asset: our people.”
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