>= More than Equal strengthens its senior leadership with new appointments and launches the most comprehensive new research to date into women in motorsport
LONDON, Jan. 16, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Founders of >= More than Equal, former F1 driver David Coulthard and entrepreneur Karel Komarek, have appointed Karen Webb Moss as Chair of the Board and Ali Donnelly as CEO to accelerate its work in finding Formula 1’s first female Drivers’ World Champion. Formed in early-2022, >= More than Equal is an initiative bringing together some of motorsports’ best scouts, physical trainers, psychologists, nutritionists, racing coaches and drivers, all focused on finding and developing top female racing talent.
Karen Webb Moss, Chair of the Board, brings a substantial skillset in reputation management, branding and marketing, and integrity and governance in the world of sports management which will lend momentum to the initiative. She has nearly three decades of experience working at board and senior-level executive positions with governments, brands, and the sports industry.
Webb Moss is currently the Chair of British Swimming. Previously, she worked with the leadership of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, and prior to this was COO of the International Centre for Sport Security (ICSS). She has also held roles as Vice President Image & Marketing Communications at the International Olympic Committee and as Head of Marketing Communications for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. She is a founder and mentor across a number of women in sport organisations.
Ali Donnelly will take on the role of CEO from mid-March 2023. Ali joins from Sport England, a public body which invests in projects and programmes to help people get active and play sport. As an Executive Director, she oversees areas including digital, marketing, communications and innovation. Key campaigns from her team include the award winning This Girl Can which encourages women and girls to be more active.
Donnelly has previously held roles as Deputy Official Spokesperson & Head of News for the British Prime Minister and senior communications and marketing roles at HM Treasury and the BBC. She is also heavily involved in women’s rugby in a variety of roles, including founding the award-winning website Scrumqueens.com. She recently authored the first history book on the game.
Kate Beavan, who has been a strategic advisor to the initiative from the outset, has also been formally inducted into the Board. Kate has two decades of Formula 1 leadership roles across brand licencing, hospitality and legal.
Close on the heels of the new appointments, >= More than Equal has launched motorsport’s most comprehensive research to date, focussing on four key pillars:
A series of 1-to-1 executive interviews with key stakeholders and competitors at all stages of motorsport;
An exhaustive desk research programme to identify, collate, and create an interrogatable database of independent, authoritative research on female participation across a broad spread of sports;
The construction and management of a definitive database of competitors, licence holders, series and championships spanning global motorsport;
A Global Attitude Survey designed to explore opinions, perceptions, and challenges to female participation in elite motorsport.
The web-based survey, open until 3 February 2023, is available to respondents around the world in 15 languages: https://more-than-equal-survey-2023.motorsportnetwork.com/
Former F1 driver and >= More than Equal Co-Founder David Coulthard said: “I am delighted with the talent, experience and enthusiasm that forms our new senior leadership team as we embark on the search for the first female world champion in Formula 1. I believe this can be done, but it first requires identifying the key barriers and hurdles that have hindered the journey of women in the sport to date. Over the past few weeks, >= More than Equal’s team and partners have been speaking to key stakeholders across motorsport on this topic. I encourage all fans to take 10 minutes and let their voice be heard by completing our global survey.”
>= More than Equal Co-Founder Karel Komarek said: “With a strengthened leadership team and unparalleled new insight and data, we’re even better placed to drive important change across motorsport. >= More than Equal brings a bold but achievable ambition that David and I hope will open more eyes to female potential everywhere.”
On taking the role of Chair of the Board, Karen Webb Moss said: “I am more than excited! Who wouldn’t want to be involved in the quest to find the first female Formula 1 world champion. >= More than Equal is bold but pragmatic in its stated mission to establish the evidence, find the talent and create the pathway to get them on the grid all the way to a championship win.”
On taking on the role of CEO, Ali Donnelly, said: “This is a highly ambitious programme with brilliant people involved. I can’t wait to get stuck into work that seeks to break down misconceptions about women racers and supports some of the best young talent out there to reach the top.”
About >= More than Equal
>= More than Equal is a global, independent, non-for-profit initiative bringing together some of motorsports’ best scouts, physical trainers, psychologists, nutritionists, racing coaches and drivers… all focused on finding and developing the first female Formula 1 Drivers’ World Champion.
Founded by 13-times Grand Prix winner David Coulthard and entrepreneur Karel Komarek, with the ambition to understand and minimise barriers specific to women racing in Formula 1 as well as providing better scouting and earlier and ongoing support.
For more information and any media enquiries, please contact Mehak Chowdhary, Head of Communication at >= More than Equal
E: [email protected], [email protected]
M: +31 68106 2788
SOURCE More Than Equal