Claire

Williams

Former Deputy Team Principal of Williams Racing
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Youngest ever DTP in motorsports
Visionary + expert in high performance teams
One of the most prominent + successful women in F1 history
Officer of the Order of the British Empire

About Claire

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Carrying the Williams Legacy

Claire Williams is the former Deputy Team Principal of the Williams Formula One racing team. Claire grew up around Formula One, with her father, Sir Frank Williams, being the founder of the Williams team. During their time in the sport, Williams won nine Constructors' Championships and seven Drivers' Championships, making them the second most successful team in the history of the sport, just behind Ferrari.

Accelerating a motorsport career

After graduating from Newcastle University with a degree in Politics in 1999, Claire began her career in motor racing as a Press Officer for the Silverstone Circuit. In 2002, she joined the Williams team as a Communications Officer. Claire was promoted to the role of Head of Communications in 2010, and, in 2011, she took on the position of Head of Investor Relations following the business' public listing to supplement her communications role. In 2012, Claire also took on the role of Commercial and Marketing Director responsible for securing the team's annual racing budget of £100m while also being responsible for the business’ marketing remit.

From Boardroom to Race Track

When her father stepped down from the Williams board in 2012, Claire represented the Williams family’s controlling and majority shareholding on the board. In March 2013, she was appointed Deputy Team Principal of the Williams F1 racing team, a role which saw her assume responsibility for the day-to-day running and long-term development of the race team and Williams' Advanced Engineering business for eight years.

About Claire

Claire Williams is the former Deputy Team Principal of the Williams Formula One racing team. Claire grew up around Formula One, with her father, Sir Frank Williams, being the founder of the Williams team. During their time in the sport, Williams won nine Constructors' Championships and seven Drivers' Championships, making them the second most successful team in the history of the sport, just behind Ferrari.

Claire was promoted to the role of Head of Communications in 2010, and, in 2011, she took on the position of Head of Investor Relations following the business' public listing to supplement her communications role. In 2012, Claire also took on the role of Commercial and Marketing Director responsible for securing the team's annual racing budget of £100m while also being responsible for the business’ marketing remit.

After graduating from Newcastle University with a degree in Politics in 1999, Claire began her career in motor racing as a Press Officer for the Silverstone Circuit. In 2002, she joined the Williams team as a Communications Officer.

When her father stepped down from the Williams board in 2012, Claire represented the Williams family’s controlling and majority shareholding on the board. In March 2013, she was appointed Deputy Team Principal of the Williams F1 racing team, a role which saw her assume responsibility for the day-to-day running and long-term development of the race team and Williams' Advanced Engineering business for eight years.

Public Speaking

Claire Williams transformed one of the most iconic teams in Formula 1 with resilience, passion and vision. Now she’s ready to inspire your audience with stories of leadership, innovation and overcoming challenges in the fast-paced world of motorsport.
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Claire Williams led one of the most iconic teams in Formula 1 history with resilience, passion and vision.

Now, she’s ready to inspire your audiences with stories of leadership, innovation and overcoming challenges in the fast-paced world of motorsport.

01
Leadership in high-pressure environments

Leadership in high-pressure environments

Claire led Williams Racing between 2013 and 2020, some of the toughest years in recent Formula One history. Claire’s leadership experience in one of the world’s most fiercely competitive sports makes for avid listening providing audiences with key insights into what it takes to create and drive high performing teams in challenging environments.

02
Innovating for success

Innovating for success

True performance is often found in the margins. In an era of tight budgets, regulatory stability and intense competition, Claire reinvigorated innovation at Williams not only across the F1 team, but also throughout the Group’s Advanced Engineering business creating success on the race track as well as in the board room. Claire’s unique insights into how to drive performance by leveraging innovation in the narrowest of margins can inspire audiences to think creatively to drive their businesses forward.

03
Inspiring Team to Perform at Their Best

Building High Performing Teams

One of Claire’s key strengths lies in building and motivating high-performance teams. She shares strategies on what constitutes a high performing team, how to develop one and how to extract maximum performance from your team, even during challenging times. Claire also provides insights into how to foster a collaborative workplace with respect, trust and diversity at the heart of the team.

04
Breaking Barriers in Motorsport

Breaking Barriers in Motorsport

As a woman in motorsport, Claire overcame significant challenges. Her journey of resilience and success, in a traditionally male-dominated field, can influence the careers of anyone trying to establish themselves at the front of any industry.

01

Leadership in high-pressure environments

Claire led Williams Racing through intense competition, making critical decisions under pressure. Her leadership lessons apply to any fast-paced industry, inspiring audiences to excel in challenging environments.

02

Breaking Barriers in Motorsport

As a trailblazing woman in motorsport, Claire overcame significant challenges. She inspires others by sharing her journey of resilience and success in a traditionally male-dominated field.

03

Innovating for Success

Claire championed innovation at Williams Racing, pushing boundaries with limited resources. She speaks on the importance of embracing change and staying ahead in rapidly evolving industries.

04

Inspiring Teams to Perform at Their Best

Claire’s strength lies in motivating high-performance teams. She shares strategies on fostering collaboration, trust, and success even during difficult times.

How Claire's F1 Experience Can Power Your Business

Harness F1 strategies to elevate performance, innovation and resilience.
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High performance teamwork

Unlock the power of a unified team working toward a shared mission, just like in F1’s fast-paced, high-stakes environment.

Data driven performance + continuous improvement

Discover how continuous improvement and real-time data analysis can give your business a competitive edge.

Safety and risk management

Learn the F1 approach to managing risk and ensuring safety while still pushing boundaries.

Change and
transformation

Leverage Claire's experience in leading major transformations to successfully navigate change in your own organisation.

Topics Claire can
bring to your event

Team Motivation
Cultural & Business Transformation
Diversity, equity & inclusion
Sustainability

Team Motivation

While running Williams, Claire led more than 1,000 people across the F1 team and the Advanced Engineering business. She built high performing teams by restructuring the organisation, bringing in new talent,
re-developing the team’s resources and by regenerating an environment built on respect, trust and accountability. Claire's experience in this area
offers key insights into empowering teams and engendering collaboration in any business.
Book Claire now

Cultural & Business Transformation

Claire took over the running of her father's historic F1 team in 2013. She drove transformative change across the business throughout her eight years running the team championing manufacturing, technological and strategic change while also transforming team culture through her Next Gen Williams programme. The team quickly saw a reversal of fortunes as a result, taking P3 in the Formula One World Championship in 2014, the team's best result for more than a decade.
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Diversity, equity & inclusion

For more than half of her time running Williams, Claire was the only female team boss and used her position to promote greater levels of diversity within her own team and the sport as a whole. She introduced a 'Respect' policy within the team, established the 'Women at Williams' network, eliminated the Gender Pay Gap and actively created opportunities for women to access the sport in every discipline. Through her work, female representation within the team grew by 10%. Claire also developed programmes to welcome wheelchair users into the workforce through her Vice Presidency of the Spinal Injuries Association.
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Sustainability

Under Claire's leadership, the Group's Advanced Engineering business, WAE, transformed from a small enterprise centred around flywheel technologies into a world-renowned green-tech firm providing products and services to the automotive, defence, aviation and healthcare sectors as well as the motorsport industry as a whole. WAE thrived in the EV battery space, supplying the Formula E Championship with their batteries while also working with many automotive giants propelling their hybrid cars to market. The business was later sold to Australian mining giant, Fortescue for $220m and is now at the heart of turning Fortescue into a Real Zero organisation by 2030. Claire is now an Ambassador for Fortescue Zero.
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Motivation of high
performance teams

As Chairman and CEO of Williams Grand Prix Holdings, Claire led over 1,000 people, including the F1 team and Williams Advanced Engineering. She built high-performing teams by revamping management, attracting top talent, and driving optimal performance, even in tough times. Her value-led leadership, focused on respect, trust, and accountability, offers key insights for empowering teams and fostering collaboration in any business.
Book Claire now

Cultural & business change

Claire Williams took over her father’s historic F1 team, modernising an underperforming organisation while facing media scrutiny and industry resistance. She drove transformative change, championing diversity, technology, and strategic innovation, leading the team to go public. Ultimately, Claire’s decision to sell the team secured its future and protected employee livelihoods. Her story is a testament to leadership, resilience, and innovation.
Book Claire now

Diversity, equity & inclusion

As the only female team boss in F1, Claire Williams led the charge for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in a male-dominated industry. She introduced a 'respect' policy, reduced the gender pay gap, and increased female representation by 63%. Claire also brought the first female driver into the Williams Driver Academy in two decades. Her initiatives fostered dramatic cultural change, addressing race, religion, education, and disability, including a partnership with the Spinal Injuries Association.
Book Claire now

Sustainability

One of Claire’s proudest achievements was leading Williams Advanced Engineering (WAE), transforming it from a small initiative into a renowned green-tech firm, which was later sold for $220M. WAE thrived in the EV battery space under her leadership. Now, Claire continues championing sustainability in motorsports as a brand ambassador for Fortescue Zero (formerly WAE) and serves as Chair of its Motorsports Division.
Book Claire now
Motivation in team
Cultural & business change
Diversity, equity & inclusion
Sustainability

Explore more
ways to collaborate

Whether you're looking to enhance your leadership skills, boost team performance, or refine your communication strategy, our tailored services are designed to meet your unique needs.

Leadership consulting, team performance and communications

Have you ever struggled to inspire or motivate your team to reach their full potential? Do you suffer from imposter syndrome and want to enhance your leadership capabilities? You can leverage Claire's extensive experience in communications, leadership and cultural transformation to support your business needs.
Unlock your teams potential

Brand Ambassador

Claire's strength lies in her values and how she operates. Put her ability to connect with audiences at the heart of your engagement.
Empower your brand

Non-Executive

When her father stepped down from the Williams board in 2013, Claire operated as the majority and controlling shareholder, running the Williams Group board until she sold the business in 2020. Her eight years' experience sat on the Williams board, a PLC at the time, has given her extensive experience of running an organisation that needs to deliver at a relentless pace. Her ability to maintain board stability and ensure effective communications across a diverse range of board personalities makes her a strong candidate for non-executive board seats.
Get strategic guidance
Testimonials
01 / 04
Sam
Propertymark One
Motivation in team
Your session was both enlightening and engaging, offering our attendees a wealth of knowledge and insights.
Testimonials
02 / 04
Sam
Propertymark One
Leadership
Your presence was truly such a highlight of the summit. There were so many crew members coming to me throughout the remainder of the summit to express how much they enjoyed the interview
Testimonials
03 / 04
Sam
Propertymark One
Motivation in team
Your insights and expertise were truly exceptional and your presence added immense value to our gathering, we've received overwhelmingly positive feedback. We are grateful for the opportunity to have had you as a speaker and learn from your experience.
Testimonials
04 / 04
Sam
Propertymark One
Diversity & inclusion
Claire profoundly motivated our audience and shared critical messaging on ways giving voice to gender equality, diversity and inclusion. A true role model and a champion change maker within Formula 1. We truly appreciate the opportunity Claire gave us, to listen, reflect and learn through her experience and journey.

Testimonials

Motivation in team
Your session was both enlightening and engaging, offering our attendees a wealth of knowledge and insights.
Sam
Propertymark One
Leadership
Your presence was truly such a highlight of the summit. There were so many crew members coming to me throughout the remainder of the summit to express how much they enjoyed the interview
Myra Perez
Executive Director, Sales & Service NETJETS
Leadership
Your insights and expertise were truly exceptional and your presence added immense value to our gathering, we've received overwhelmingly positive feedback. We are grateful for the opportunity to have had you as a speaker and learn from your experience.
Alison Sabidussi
Customer Insights Manager
SES Satellites

Success in numbers

Brought in more than £300 million in sponsorship to keep Williams racing.
300m+
2013-2014
2
P3 positions in the F1 World Championships
2016-2017
2
P5 positions in the F1 World Championships
2013-2014
15
Podiums achieved while DTP
2013-2014
Awarded OBE for services to motorsport
Youngest ever DTP in Formula 1
Gave the first female driver in more than two decades an outing in an F1 car over a GP weekend
Vice President Spinal Injuries Association
Ambassador for Dare to be Different
Voted Esquire International Woman of the Year 2014
Williams Way
For over 50 years our family name has been linked to F1, starting in 1969 with Sir Frank Williams' first team and later founding Williams Racing in 1977. During that time the team won 16 World Championships before being sold in 2020.

Constructors Championship

9

Drivers Championship

7

Race Victories

114

Podiums

312

Let’s discuss
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Frequently
asked questions

What format do Claire's speaking appearances take?

Claire does not deliver keynote speeches, but delivers her story and experiences using the fireside chat format. It is the responsibility of the client to arrange the moderator, although recommendations can be made. Typically, the Q&A will last 45 minutes to one hour with additional time at the end for questions from the audience. Claire can arrive in advance for sound and tech checks and can promote events on her social channels before and after the appearance.

What preparatory work is involved?

Ahead of any event that Claire carries out, a discovery call will take place with Claire to understand what the client's objectives are for the event and to go through the questions the client would like to ask. All logistical requirements can be clarified at this stage.

Does Claire travel worldwide for events?

Yes, Claire will travel internationally to carry out appearances.

Is Claire willing to participate in additional activities as part of an appearance?

Claire will always try to be as flexible as possible and accommodate a client's requests. Workshops and break out sessions or participating in other events such as dinners and panel discussions can all be discussed.

Does Claire charge a fee for her speaking events?

Yes. Fees are determined based on what kind of event you would like Claire to be involved in, the location of your event and event timings.

Is Claire available for school, university or charitable events?

Claire will always consider carrying out appearances on a no-fee basis for not-for-profit organisations.

My enquiry is not a work-related question - I would like advice on how to get a job in Formula One.

As you can imagine, Claire is inundated with requests for advice from students and people looking to work in Formula One. If you would like advice in this respect, please don't submit your request here but head to Claire's LinkedIn page where she often posts relevant content about working in Formula One and motorsports in general.

AboutServicesFAQ
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