Williams has made the surprise announcement that chairman Adam Parr will leave them on Friday.
Parr was appointed chairman of the team in 2010. Last month team founder Frank Williams described Parr as his “natural successor”.
Announcing the news, Williams said: “I asked Adam to join Williams at the end of 2006 to support me in the running of our team.
“Over five years, Adam’s achievements have surpassed my expectations and I must thank him for his service. Not least for the decisive role he played in the technical changes made last year which are beginning to show through in the team’s improved competitiveness this season, and for leading this company to a successful [initial public offering].
“Adam leaves us on good terms to pursue a better balance in his life for which I wish him and his family well. He has left us in good shape and I have every confidence that the Board and senior management team at Williams will continue to drive the business forward into a promising future.”
Parr said: “I am very grateful to Frank for giving me the opportunity to work for Williams over the past five years – a period that has been both challenging and rewarding.
“Williams is a unique team with over 500 great-hearted and talented people and many superb partners in and out of Formula One. Williams is now set up to move forward and I wish everyone at Grove well.”
Former Diageo CFO Nick Rose has been appointed non-executive chairman of the company.
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Image © Williams/LAT
BasCB (@bascb)
26th March 2012, 7:57
Wasn’t Frank Williams hinting of Parr being the right one to take over from him in time, when he announced he was stepping down from the board a couple of weeks back?
I am sure there is more of a story behind this one (surely its not to do with the Concorde Agreement talks and Williams not having agreed terms so far?)
JCost (@jcost)
26th March 2012, 8:02
What a shocker. Many people were expecting to see him leading the organization sooner than later and then this.
BasCB (@bascb)
26th March 2012, 8:11
Seems this looks to be a likely background then:
From Dimi PAPADOPOULOS on twitter @f1enigma
verstappen (@verstappen)
26th March 2012, 11:32
Bernie and his pet(pass)-media were never fans of Parr so it could be true @BasCB
And it would be a bit strange to develop these balance-problems so suddenly, especially when the team seems to do better. If that was the only thing, it would be logical to step down after the season.
And the other question is: What’s gonna happen with shareholder Wollff?? Will he take a more formal role?
verstappen (@verstappen)
26th March 2012, 11:38
Oh and to illustrate: an article on pitpass from july.
Julian (@julian)
26th March 2012, 8:17
Better offer from another team perhaps?
Or the 2nd mate abandoning the sinking ship before he gets thown into the captaincy??
kyle (@kyle)
26th March 2012, 11:44
lol
Dave (@davea86)
26th March 2012, 8:34
So they’ve lost Sam Michael, Patrick Head and now Adam Parr. As much as I’d like Sir Frank to be around for a long time to come it’s just not going to happen and he’s going to have to step aside at some point. That’s a lot of talent heading out the door…
Optimaximal (@optimaximal)
26th March 2012, 12:49
I think Williams have accepted that all this ‘talent’ was actually the cause of their problems. Patrick Head was too old-school for modern F1, Sam Michael ended up as a jack of all trades & Parr was essentially a fairly disconnected marketing manager.
Other teams up and down the grid are recruiting and shedding staff frequently, but a lot of Williams seemed to just be stagnating. Fresh blood can only do the entire team good.
Eggry (@eggry)
26th March 2012, 8:54
What the hell is going on in Williams?
bearforce1 (@bearforce1)
26th March 2012, 9:26
There has to be a juicy story in this I reckon.
skraper (@skraper)
26th March 2012, 9:42
Agreed. Although it is possible that something outside F1 has forced him to step down.
That could be a pretty telling statement.
Zecks (@zecks)
26th March 2012, 10:10
Yes I think it could well be a personal/family issue which could preclude him from the jet set life in F1. I wish him well.
OOliver
26th March 2012, 9:48
This doesn’t make sense.
A man can’t just wake up and resign from his position only just confirmed as a certainty.
Perhaps he didn’t feel like he was going to get full control.
OOliver
26th March 2012, 9:51
@BasCB
I just read your post, perhaps, that explains it.
GQsm (@gqsm)
26th March 2012, 10:12
Either a fall out or something in Parr’s personal life. Maybe health, the health of someone close to him or something else family related.
Some things are more important than work, especially when you are fairly wealthy anyway.
ScuderiaVincero (@scuderiavincero)
26th March 2012, 10:37
That’s a shocker. After Sir Frank’s comments about Parr being his natural successor, this was unexpected.
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
26th March 2012, 11:27
There are now rumours Rose has also gone.
BasCB (@bascb)
26th March 2012, 11:48
Seems like quite a bit of upheaval at Williams currently @keithcollantine I can imagine it has to do with Concorde agreement things. Or maybe something around the strategic heading of the team, although that could be one and the same.
Interestingly enough Peter Windsor (who does have good ties to Frank and the whole family/team) seems to think that Parr will be back in a bigger F1 role before too long. Floating FOM? Hm, not sure what to make of it.
smudgersmith1 (@smudgersmith1)
26th March 2012, 19:20
sorry…who is Rose??
smudgersmith1 (@smudgersmith1)
26th March 2012, 19:29
sorry just reread the whole article !
skraper (@skraper)
27th March 2012, 4:04
Are Williams on the brink of a Financial/Organisational crisis? The fast departure of two individuals, especially Rose could be indicative of serious misconduct within the organisation.
James (@jamesf1)
26th March 2012, 11:53
I’ve been saying this for a while, Williams are a sinking team. They’ve been on a steady decline since 1997. They’ve had a few peaks in that time, but one cannot deny that they’re barely a shadow of their former selves.
With much of what was actually a strong engineering team, if a lot underfunded, now gone, who is going to replace them?
Gty
26th March 2012, 12:31
I fear the demise of Williams soon too @jamesf1
gabal (@gabal)
26th March 2012, 13:05
Actually, they sacked the old engineering team and replaced them with new management who if first two races are anything to look at have been more successful in creating a fast car.
OOliver
26th March 2012, 13:31
Williams have had a few real horrid years culminating in their woeful display last year.
This year they don’t have the fastest car, but it a very competitive design.
They have already doubled their points haul from last year, and could have quadrupled it by now, had Maldonado converted his potential in Australia.
This is not the in quote a team in dire straights.
The only possibility is that there has been a differing of opinion amongs the upper management.
Perhaps, Sir Williams in no longer deppressed as he sees a rejuvenated WilliamsF1 and wants control again. Or there has been a disagreement because the appointees want to move in one direction, while their employer is looking in another.
Whatever happens, Williams will not sink, they might not make as much money from their finishing position.
On a secondary not.
If Bernie is somehow responsible for this, through his offering of different sign on fees to fifferent teams. Then I think this matter may end up in court. Interms of achievement Williams F1 is right up there with Ferrari and Mclaren. It was their misadventure with BMW and a little bit of pride that led them down this route.
If I were to invest in an F1 team, it would be in one like Williams rather than a Redbull. williamsF1 is a heritage team.
Dan Brown (@danbrown180)
26th March 2012, 14:37
Exactly.
skraper (@skraper)
27th March 2012, 4:15
I’m not sure that I agree with everything you are saying. Regardless, whatever is going on, we will find out soon. They are a publicly listed company and it is their duty to keep their shareholders and the public of major changes in the organisation. Keep an eye on
Nick.UK (@)
26th March 2012, 14:28
Sometimes I wish I was a fly on the wall!
Hairpin (@hairpin)
26th March 2012, 16:47
Adam Parrs’ departure at the end of this week (30th March) coincides with the start date of Claire Williams on 1st April, I wonder if there’s any significant connection, a conflict of interest, opinion or personality perhaps?
skraper (@skraper)
27th March 2012, 4:05
Likely 7 days notice or the next board meeting.
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
26th March 2012, 23:23
I saw this on Twitter this morning as a retweet. I thought it was a joke at first until I checked further!
This is just crazy news. Surely Parr knew things would only get more intense for him?
My only conclusion is that there has been some sort of major misunderstanding or argument. Everything looked peachy in Melbourne.
Jose
27th March 2012, 1:16
I remember Williams is set 2 retired anytime soon, so he passed out his pro folio to successors but not successful. So what’s the real story behind garage in Grove? I’m still puzzle.
Joe Papp (@joepa)
25th April 2012, 5:54
Was anything else ever revealed about Parr’s departure?
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
12th January 2013, 11:14
@joepa There has been more recently: Parr admits leaving Williams over Ecclestone