GRAND PRIX TRUST - Key Persons
Arlene has worked in F1 since 2001 in various roles.
Chris Bliss spent over 36 years with Rawlinson & Hunter, retiring as a partner in September 2020. He was the Senior Partner and continues as a Consultant to the Firm. During his time at Rawlinson & Hunter he managed a broad based client portfolio encompassing retail, trading and investment companies, professional partnerships, not-for-profit entities and certain high profile sports and entertainment personalities. He also acted for a number of family groups which he continues to advise in his role as consultant.
Chris sits as a Trustee on a number of UK charities including the Grand Prix Trust. He has been associated with the Trust since its creation in 1987. Appointed a trustee in 2017 he has overseen accounting and regulatory matters for the Trust. Chris is a member of the Investment Committee.
Job Titles:
- ITV F1 in 1997 As Pit Lane Reporter
- President of Motorsport Network
James is the President of Motorsport Network, the world's leading digital motorsport media platform, encompassing websites in 15 languages, direct to consumer OTT, esports and games. He is also on the board of NASDAQ listed Motorsport Games Inc.
Prior to joining the Network James worked in Formula 1 for 28 years as a broadcaster and writer. His TV credits include lead commentator on ITV's F1 coverage as well as stints as a presenter on ESPN (USA), Network 10 (Australia) and RAI (Italy). He was BBC F1 correspondent from 2012-15 and Financial Times F1 correspondent for over 20 years.
James joined ITV F1 in 1997 as pit lane reporter having fulfilled a similar role on ESPN since 1993. In October 2001, he took over from Murray Walker as ITV's lead commentator. During his time at ITV, in partnership with GP Trust Chairman Martin Brundle, the channel's coverage won three consecutive BAFTA awards and the Royal Television Society's Sports Programme of the Year award.
His book credits include two biographies of Michael Schumacher and co-authorship of Nigel Mansell's 1995 best-selling autobiography.
As well as his voluntary work for GP Trust he has been a Patron of F1 in Schools, the STEM education programme for over 20 years.
James graduated from Oxford University, with an MA in English and Modern Languages.
Job Titles:
- Director of Red Bull Racing
Currently the Sporting Director of Red Bull Racing, Jonathan Wheatley was one of the team's early appointments, and since joining from Renault in 2006, has played a key role in the team's success story.
After joining Benetton as a junior mechanic in the early 1990s, Jonathan rose through their ranks to become Race Team Chief Mechanic in 2001. He continued with the team when it became Renault, before choosing to leave at the height of Renault's success for the challenge of helping a new team climb the F1 ladder.
Job Titles:
- Director of Global Motorsport Marketing and Events at Aston Martin Lagonda
As Director of Global Motorsport Marketing and Events at Aston Martin Lagonda, Karin oversees the activation and engagement of Aston Martin's motorsport programme in F1, along with the Aston Martin track and road driving experiences and global corporate events.
A thought leader in the industry since 2000, Karin consulted on and was integral to the operation of the inaugural Abu Dhabi and Russian F1 Grand Prix's, and has overseen the activation of various brand partnerships within Formula 1.
Mark grew up just outside of Hull in Yorkshire and studied Economics at Jesus College Cambridge before joining Unilever where he spent 32 years in various roles living in several countries, including Nigeria, Belgium, Kenya and Singapore. After starting work at Unilever in 1981, Mark studied for an accounting qualification and is now a Fellow of CIMA. In his last role, Mark created Unilever's Global Business Services organisation (called Enterprise & Technology Solutions). He was previously Treasurer, CFO for Asia & Africa and non-Exec Chairman of the South African Board.
After leaving Unilever, Mark helped establish a restaurant in Singapore (Artemis) and Greenlight Sports, a Sports Marketing company, and is also a Director and Owner of The Form Practice Limited, which includes a Health & Wellness studio just outside Cambridge. Mark also took up a position of Interim CFO of Williams Lea Tag, a business owned by Private Equity, from September 2019 to July 2020. He is now looking at further opportunities in the sports area.
Outside of work, Mark has been actively engaged in various sports and charities. He is an Ambassador of Scope, a UK charity which supports disabled people and their families. As well as the GP Trust, Mark has been actively involved in F1, in particular Unilever's sponsorship of Lotus and Williams, and has attended more than 150 F1 Grand Prix. He tries to keep fit with running and cycling having run numerous marathons and half marathons. Mark has 3 sons and lives with his partner Claire and their 2 dogs near Cambridge.
Martin has been involved in Formula one since 1984, initially as a driver starting 158 Grands Prix and standing on the podium 10 times. He is also a former World Sportscar Champion and Le Mans 24 hour winner.
In 1997 he moved to the commentary box with ITV, then onto the BBC, and from 2012 to the present day with SkyF1. With other roles such as former Chairman of the Board of the British Racing Drivers' Club which owns Silverstone, and former Chairman of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association, he has a broad knowledge of the sport and business.
He joined the Grand Prix Trust as a Trustee in 1996, becoming Chairman of the Trustees in 2016. Martin retains a deep passion for Formula One and also helping the many people who have played a role in the long history of F1, and who find themselves in need of advice and assistance.
Michael started his career in Formula One in 1981 at Williams Grand Prix where he served a four year apprenticeship and during the nine years at Williams, he moved into the gearbox department. In 1991 Michael moved to Benetton to manage their gearbox and sub assembly departments. With management changes in 1992, Michael moved to the race team and gearbox technician.
In 1996 Sir Jackie Stewart invited Michael to join the Grand Prix Trust, which he took the opportunity to become a Trustee. Michael moved to Stewart Grand Prix in 1997 to manage their gearbox, sub assembly and hydraulic departments.
In 2004 Michael moved to RML to help head up their sportscar program and after four years Michael left RML to start his own company - M J Tech Limited - a gearbox and race car preparation company based in Oxfordshire.
Peter Hamlyn has practiced as a Consultant Neurological and Spinal Surgeon for 20 years. He has led several neurosurgical teams in some of London's elite teaching hospitals and worked closely with the late Professor Sid Watkins.
An Honorary Associate Professor at University College London, consistently ranked in the top five universities in the World, Mr Hamlyn sees 2,500 patients each year and performs some 300 operations annually. His passion lies in spinal disorders and sports injury, and he has had substantial exposure to elite level sports from Premiere League football and rugby to jockeys, NFL, athletics, boxing and even the Royal Ballet. His cranial work now focuses on head injury in sport, and in1996 he was awarded Fellowship of the Institute of Sport Medicine for work in the field of head injury in sport.
Mr Hamlyn was on the 2012 Olympic bid advisory panel and has written in the sports section of the Daily Telegraph. He is now Director of Education for the Institute of Sports Exercise and Health, a national Olympic legacy project developed by University College London Hospital, the British Olympic Authority and the Department of Health.
He was a founder, and is President of, the Brain and Spine Foundation, chairs the Football Association's Expert Medical Panel, is Chair of the University College London Examination Board in Sport and Exercise Medicine and a founder and director of the pharmaceutical research company Percisa Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
Patrick Head, after a short period in the Royal Navy, graduated in engineering at University College and then joined the design team at Lola Cars. After leaving Lolas, he designed the Scott F2 car, and worked with Ron Tauranac at Trojan Cars. Patrick joined Frank Williams at what was then Frank Williams racing, moving with Frank Williams in 1977 to form Williams Grand Prix Engineering, retiring from that company at the end of 2011. The company gained 9 Drivers World Championships and 8 Team Championships.