Appointment of four new FIA Senate Members opening the Federation ever more to the world

  • gb
21.02.22

The Senate of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), gathered on 17th February in Paris, appointed four new members proposed by FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem:

FIA flag

FIFA Secretary General, Senegalese Fatma SAMOURA
Having spent 21 years working on high level United Nations programmes in Italy, the Republic of Djibouti, Cameroon, Chad, Guinea, Niger, Madagascar, Nigeria, Central America and Central West Asia, Fatma Samoura is well known for her commitment to furthering humanitarian causes. It was this commitment and tenacity that led to her being chosen as FIFA’s first-ever female Secretary General in May 2016. A trailblazer for diversity and gender equality, she spearheaded a vast programme of reform at FIFA that focused on good governance, gender diversity, inclusivity and human rights. Since her appointment the number of women employed by the organisation has increased across the board including in senior management roles. She also played an integral part in the success of the record-breaking 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™, the FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019™ and the inaugural FIFA Arab Cup™ in 2021. Read more on FIFA website here

President, CEO and Master Driver of Toyota Motor Corporation, Japanese Akio TOYODA
Mr Toyoda has led Toyota since 2009 with various career backgrounds over 20 years in the company including postings in every phase of automotive operations, such as production, marketing and product development, both in Japan and internationally. He is also known as Morizo, enthusiastic racing driver in both circuit racing and rallying, and Master Driver to test all Toyota and Lexus products during their product development phase. Additionally, he is leading the Japanese automotive industry as the chairman of the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association. He is the first automotive industry CEO to join the FIA Senate.

Chairman of the UK Royal Automobile Club, Ben CUSSONS
Mr Cussons is a highly motivated leader with excellent strategic, analytical and communication skills.  He has experience in a wide range of commercial and third sector disciplines but with a focus on the development, planning and implementation of board strategy.

Chairman of Motorsport South Africa, Anton ROUX
After years of consultancy and being CEO of Aon in Sub Saharan Africa (the leading provider of risk management, insurance and reinsurance brokerage, human resources solutions and outsourcing services), Mr Roux has been the Chairman of the Audit and Risk Committees of all the insurance operations within the FirstRand Group for the past six years. Since March 2019, he is also Chairman of Motorsport South Africa.

The Senate also reported on the progress of the Requests for proposal on CEO recruitment, governance review and financial review made in liaison with the Working Groups established at the 3 February World Councils.

FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem has initiated profound changes regarding the Federation’s governance, in order to improve transparency and diversity and to be compliant to best practices.

The Senate is one of the most important governing  bodies of the FIA with the main financial responsibilities. Composed of 16 members, of which four are independent members, it is the transversal governing body of the Federation.

FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem said: “The new Senate composition is opening the FIA ever more to the world. I am very proud that this essential governing body, which has a central role in the life of our Federation, counts members from all over the planet and that 25% of them are women, including new member Fatma Samoura, FIFA Secretary General. The appointment of Mr Toyoda, President of Toyota, is also a symbol of our will to work more closely with the Automotive industry. The arrival of Ben Cussons, Chairman of the UK Royal Automobile Club and Anton Roux, Chairman of Motorsport South Africa, reinforces even more the role of our Members within the FIA. You know my deep conviction: the governance of our Federation must be exemplary in terms of diversity and inclusion.”

FIA Senate President Carmelo Sanz de Barros said: "With the arrival  of such distinguished members in our already solid  team, our Federation's key governing body is now in a position to bring our governance and management structures to the next level, - leveraging the different reviews underway and the recruitment of a world class CEO, - and to fulfill its key mandate: the oversight of a more global and integrated organisation   which must  become the leading motor sport and mobility voice across the world."

Complete FIA Senate composition:

Members by right

Carmelo SANZ DE BARROS (ESP), President of the Senate
Mohammed BEN SULAYEM (UAE), President of the FIA
Robert REID (GBR), Deputy President of the FIA for Sport
Timothy SHEARMAN (CAN) Deputy President of the FIA for Automobile Mobility and Tourism

Members appointed by the World Council for Automobile Mobility and Tourism: 
Irina BOKOVA (BGR)
August MARKL (DEU)
Elizabeth PERRY (AUS)
Robert SLOCOMBE (AUS)

Members appointed by the World Motor Sport Council:

Monica MAILANDER (ITA)
HRH Prince Faisal AL HUSSEIN (JOR)
Carlos SLIM DOMIT (MEX)
Guojun ZHAN (CHN)

Independent Members:

Fatma SAMOURA (SEN)
Akio TOYODA (JPN)
Anton ROUX (ZAF)
Ben CUSSONS (GBR)