Wolff becomes executive director at Williams

2012 F1 season

July 24, 2012 at 10:59 am by Keith Collantine

Toto Wolff has become an executive director at Williams, moving up from his previous position of non-executive director.

Wolff’s role will involve supporting Frank Williams as team principal.

Williams said: “Toto’s new role, working closely alongside myself, is about Williams looking forward and managing the successful running of the company.

“I am looking forward to our new working relationship and I have every belief that this partnership will help take Williams F1 from strength to strength.”

Williams recently lost its chairman Adam Parr who resigned from the team in March.

Wolff, whose wife Susie became the team’s development driver in April, said: “It’s a great honour for me to be assisting and supporting Sir Frank in his role as Team Principal at Williams.

“I have been a shareholder in the business since 2009 and I am really looking forward to being able to take my responsibilities to a new level. I know that together we will work tirelessly to make the group and team as successful as it can be.”

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20 comments on Wolff becomes executive director at Williams

Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys) said on 24th July 2012, 11:06

The cynic in me has to ask when we’ll be seeing Mrs. Wollf in the car any time soon.

- Alfie (@alfie) said on 24th July 2012, 11:45
  
  *nod*
  
- Eggry (@eggry) said on 24th July 2012, 11:51
  
  Maybe next straight line test?
  
- BasCB (@bascb) said on 24th July 2012, 14:47
  
  I thought she already had a straight line test with the team PM, but I doubt she is even considering replacing one of the drivers. What do you think @magnificent-geoffrey
  
snowman.john (@snowman-john) said on 24th July 2012, 12:15

anyone know what the difference between an executive director and a non executive director is?

- Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys) said on 24th July 2012, 12:30
  
  Executive directors have more power and influence within the team. They are able to make policy, rather than simply help shape it.
  
- Franton said on 24th July 2012, 12:32
  
  Executive Directors, sit on the board of directors, draw a wage and actively participate in the running of the company.
  
  Non exec directors also sit on the board, but no wage and no active participation outside of shareholder meetings perhaps. It varies a little from company to company.
  
- PaulT (@pault) said on 24th July 2012, 12:34
  
  A non-executive director is a member of the board of directors of a company who does not form part of the executive (or senior) management team, and is not an employee of the company. An executive director is part of the executive management group and thus an employee of the company.
  
Spawinte (@spawinte) said on 24th July 2012, 12:55

I’d like to take him seriously but given that the only remarkable thing he’s done is to install his wife as a driver……

- Prisoner Monkeys (@prisoner-monkeys) said on 24th July 2012, 13:05
  
  Actually, I believe Wollf has invested in the team and has worked securing sponsor deals for Williams. I think he was also involved in their public floatation.
  
  - Spawinte (@spawinte) said on 24th July 2012, 15:24
    
    Ok I didn’t know that but for me personally it doesn’t cancel out the nepotism. There’s just been so much bad behaviour from people of power and privilege in the last few years that I can’t look past things like this any more. Surely he must be aware of how it looks to outsiders. Maybe he doesn’t care. If he doesn’t then that only reinforces my suspicions about him.
    
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner) said on 24th July 2012, 13:47

Wolff F1 sounds so much more bad-ass than Williams F1.

- BasCB (@bascb) said on 24th July 2012, 14:51
  
  I doubt they would want to go with that name though, after all the first outfit Frank Williams ran was Walter Wolf racing and he probably does not have too fond memories of that!
  
  - TimG (@timg) said on 24th July 2012, 21:22
    
    Actually, the first outfit run by Frank Williams was Frank Williams Racing Cars which was later bought by Walter Wolf with Frank kept on as team manager, but he quickly became disillusioned and left. Starting again from scratch, he formed a partnership with Patrick Head and formed the Williams we know and love today.
    
Hotbottoms (@hotbottoms) said on 24th July 2012, 14:04

If I have understood correctly, Toto Wolff is also Valtteri Bottas’ manager along with Mika Häkkinen. Maybe we could see Bottas driving Williams already this season?

- Kimi4WDC said on 24th July 2012, 14:09
  
  Anyone was doubting that?
  
  My only concern is, will McLaren snap him before Williams does.
  
  - Eggry (@eggry) said on 24th July 2012, 15:51
    
    Well I don’t think Mclaren would do such gamble given that competition is so tight now and for a while. I know Bottas is good but I can’t see they choose him soon…
    
  - Enigma (@enigma) said on 24th July 2012, 16:02
    
    I doubt McLaren would take Bottas. He’s very talented, but they have two amazing drivers and if for some reason one of them would be to leave, they have a couple of better options at Force India, with talents that have already proven they can race competitively in F1.
    
    Though McLaren of recent years has been very fond of Finns, they’ve had three drive for them in the last 15 years…
    
    - Hotbottoms (@hotbottoms) said on 24th July 2012, 16:31
      
      McLaren also had a Finnish driver in their team every season from 1993 to 2009 with the exception of 2007. But still I can’t see no reason why McLaren would take Bottas and fire Button. At least not this season. Besides, I believe Bottas already has some sort of deal with Williams that allows them to take Bottas if they choose to do so.
      
      - James (@jamesf1) said on 24th July 2012, 17:23
        
        Hamilton has yet to pen a deal for 2013 yet… never say never…