Formula E Appoints New Global Advisory Board

28 Nov 2017 | tshego

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Formula E has appointed Christiana Figueres and Alain Prost to lead its new Global Advisory Board.

Best known for her work in the formation and delivery of the Paris climate agreement in 2015, Christiana Figueres and four-time Formula One world champion Alain Prost will join forces to chair the newly-formed global advisory board.

As a leader on global climate change, Figueres was executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) from 2010 – 2016. During this time, she assumed responsibility for the international climate change negotiations after the failed Copenhagen conference of 2009, with her efforts culminating in the historic Paris agreement in 2015.

Prost has four Formula One world championship titles to his name and is co-founder and team principal of Renault e.dams Formula E team. Having spent over a decade in Formula One, driving for Williams, Renault, Ferrari and McLaren, Prost gained his four titles between 1985 and 1993. Prost joined forces with Jean-Paul Driot to co-found the Renault e.dams team. Under his direction, the team has claimed all three team championship titles, making them the most successful team in the series.

The racing series has developed the Board to bring together leading figures from a variety of backgrounds and sectors that will steer the future of the sport as a key player influencing the uptake of electric vehicles and its impact on reducing emissions.

Joining Figueres and Prost in the Global Advisory Board will be founder & CEO of Formula E Alejandro Agag, chairman & CEO of SINA Charles Chao, CMO of Jaguar Land Rover and chairman of Jaguar Racing Gerd Mauser, CEO of Land Rover BAR America’s Cup team and ex-McLaren team pincipal Martin Whitmarsh, head of global sponsoring and deputy head of marketing at Julius Baer Marco Parroni, and reigning Formula E champion and Audi Sport ABT Schaeffler driver Lucas di Grassi.

With experience ranging from sport and mobility to marketing, business and engineering, the group will provide input and advice on topics such as sustainability, media and business.

Figueres said: “In order to meet the objectives set out by the Paris agreement and prevent global temperatures spiralling out of control, we must have a need for speed and react quickly. If we don’t see the emission levels starting to plateau by the year 2020, it’s unlikely we’ll collectively hit the agreed targets. This unique forum at Formula E will allow us to bring great minds together with the same common goal, speeding-up the transition and use of electric vehicles in everyday life.”

Prost added: “I’m proud to be a part of this expanding movement with Formula E and working together with Christiana on the Global Advisory Board. Being with Formula E since the very beginning I’ve seen first-hand how it has grown and developed, not only as a championship but also the impact it’s already having on the road car industry. I look forward to working closely with the other members and maintaining Formula E’s prime position as part of the electric revolution.”