The global restructuring of the FIA, which is taking place under the control of its new president Mohammed Ben Sulayem , who was elected in December, is undergoing another revolution.
The FIA is looking for a CEO, that is, a general director, thus breaking with part of the legacy left by Jean Todt , and allowing itself to be seen more and more openly as a body that generates income and is managed by a company. This new job offer creates a position that never existed at the top of the pyramid of this institution, and seeks a leader “probably based in Europe”.
How does the FIA look for its new CEO?
For this mission, which consists of recruiting the elite, the FIA has chosen the Russell Reynolds company, which deals with human resources and specializes in high-level international executives and managers.
The role that the future CEO will play is very clear: “The main priorities of the new CEO will be to stabilize the FIA’s finances, streamline governance structures and business processes, and develop his leadership capabilities to support diversification and growth of the future sources of income for the FIA”.
To do this, the organization seeks to “hire a business-focused and transformational leader, to modernize the organization and enhance the value it brings to its diverse members around the world.”
How long will it take for the FIA to find its new CEO?
The hiring phase remains “open,” according to the announcement published on April 4. As with previous high-profile and highly specialized posts, whether renewed or reconstituted in recent months within the structure, the FIA wants to ensure it can find the right person and is not setting any official deadline for the search to end.
What does the FIA do, apart from the regulation of Formula 1 races?
The federation offers a range of services and support to the 245 organizations that are members of the FIA, and operates in their interest. The offer reiterates that the future CEO will put the interests of those members and the FIA’s stakeholders first in all his decisions.
The FIA president and officers define the vision and policy of the organization. Under Jean Todt, global road safety, track racing safety and the electrification of motorsport were major policy drivers, supported by significant political influence.
Under the responsibility of the President, the new CEO will be in charge of developing the organizational strategy of the FIA in its new incarnation, in order to make this much more commercial and transparent vision a reality. Russell Reynolds’ job posting states that the future CEO will be required to “deliver strong operational and financial performance from integrated and aligned management” and be accountable to peers.
What is the ideal profile of the candidates for the new director general of the FIA?
The CEO will need to quickly identify key areas for improvement, and take prompt action to address them. These areas include “the financial health of a constantly changing external environment, operational efficiency and performance management, organizational culture, employee behaviors and attitudes, and the development of personal responsibility at all levels.”
Therefore, to be a good candidate for the FIA, the applicant will need to be a leader with significant experience running an international company, or else a complex organization comparable in scale to the FIA. In this sense, the FIA specifies that it is also interesting that they have experience in the operational management of a large federation or international entity.
The organization also points out that it is necessary for the candidate to have a “passion” for the motorsports industry and/or the broader automotive and mobility markets, and ideally have previous experience or knowledge in this regard.
“Specific knowledge of China, India and African countries would be a distinct advantage,” it says. It is also expected to be receptive to future technologies and sustainable development.
Like any profile at this level, the FIA Director General will need to be able to oversee and make decisions on a wide range of competitions at a strategic, legal, operational and accounting level.
The notion that appears the most in the four pages of the announcement published by the FIA continues to be that of transformation. It is repeatedly stated that the common thread running through this new role within the organization is an “entrepreneurial and creative approach to developing new and innovative ideas that drive the organization forward and push the boundaries of the industry.”
