Keynote Speaker
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.
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.
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 for eight years.
Claire has been the most prominent and successful woman in Formula One in recent years, taking the team to successive third places in the Constructors’ Championships in just her second and third years in charge.
During her tenure, Claire was a keen advocate for greater diversity and inclusion within her own team and across Formula One as a whole. She was the catalyst that gave Susie Wolff the chance to become the first woman to participate in a Formula One weekend since 1992 and subsequently became an Ambassador for motorsport’s Dare to be Different initiative which encourages young girls to consider a career in motorsport.
As Vice President of the Spinal Injuries Association, Williams’ official charity, Claire also sought to encourage spinal cord injured individuals into the team and established workplace opportunities for wheelchair users.
In September 2020, the Williams family sold the Williams Group and Claire retired from her role at the team. After a short sabbatical, Claire was recently appointed as Ambassador for WAE Technologies, a company focussed on sustainable tech and decarbonisation. Claire has continued her work for the Spinal Injuries Association while also making guest appearances for international corporations to discuss her experiences of running a Formula One team in the modern era.
Claire was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the Queen’s 2016 Birthday Honours List in recognition of her services to Formula One and was awarded Esquire’s International Woman of the Year in 2015.