Following Andy Cowell’s decision to leave his position of Managing Director at Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains (HPP), the team has announced a new senior management structure effective from 1 July, 2020.
Since he announced his intention to depart in January 2020, Cowell has worked with Toto Wolff and Markus Schäfer to create a new management structure.
This new structure will see Cowell’s responsibilities as Managing Director spread out across other members of the management staff, along with internal promotions to make sure that the transition goes smoothly.
HPP believes that this structure will allow them to uphold their high standards on the Formula 1 Power Unit, the Formula E powertrain, and the powertrain development and production of the Mercedes-AMG One.
The new leadership will be as follows: Hywel Thomas, will be appointed Managing Director responsible for the F1 Power Unit; Adam Allsopp, Project One Powertrain Director and reporting directly to Markus Schäfer on Project One; Operations Director Richard Stevens; and Finance and IT Director, Ronald Ballhaus. Formula E Powertrain Chief Engineer Pierre Godof will also continue to lead development for the all-electric racing series.
Cowell will still work with Mercedes and continue to support the transition until at least early 2021.
“Our new senior leadership team at HPP knows the business inside out – and I am confident they will drive the company forward with energy and innovation over the coming years.” said Markus Schäfer, Non-Executive Chairman of Mercedes-AMG HPP in a press release.
“From F1, to Formula E, to Project One, they are responsible for some of our most exciting and challenging R&D projects on our journey towards carbon free mobility and raising our digital competence to a next level – and I know that each of these areas will thrive under their leadership.
“I also wish to say a special word of thanks to Andy for his contribution to Mercedes over the past sixteen years. His legacy at Mercedes is not measured simply in race wins and world championships, it is also in the competitive spirit and engineering ambition that characterise the team at HPP. Andy will support a major future project of Mercedes-Benz AG and we wish him well for the next stage of his career.”
Toto Wolff, Team Principal and CEO of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team added: “Andy’s leadership of the team at HPP has been a key factor in our championship success in recent seasons. He has made an outstanding contribution to our motorsport legacy and I have valued and enjoyed our working relationship since 2013; I am sure he will enjoy great success in the next challenge he decides to take on.
“Our philosophy has always been that a winning team is a dynamic organisation, and that change is a natural part of every company’s development. I am particularly pleased that we have been able to work together to create a new leadership structure, by building on the strength in depth of the team in Brixworth. It puts us in a very strong position for the years ahead, as we aim to set new benchmarks in Formula One and Formula E.”
Hywel Thomas, the new Managing Director of Mercedes-AMG HPP, continued to add on to the kind words about Cowell.
“Andy and I have worked together throughout my time here and I am thankful to have been able to learn from him during this time and through a period of great success for the team.” he said.
“Our new leadership group is very excited to step up to this new challenge: we have an incredible team of people at Brixworth, and we are all focused on delivering maximum performance on track in the years ahead.”
Cowell concluded: “After 16 enjoyable years working for HPP, I have decided that now is the right time to move on from my role and seek a new engineering business challenge.
“I have appreciated the opportunity to work with Markus and Toto in defining the future leadership structure of the company and I have every confidence in the ability of Hywel and the team to lead the company forward.
“It has been an absolute honour to work for Mercedes and especially to be Managing Director of HPP for seven years. Thank you to everyone who has provided me with such amazing opportunities and enjoyable challenges, especially Ola Källenius who had the courage to support me back in 2006.”
