Juan Villalonga joins Carabante’s Hispania Racing

Businessman Juan Villalonga has joined the Hispania Racing Team, associating with its owner and president Jose Ramon Carabante. As soon as the agreement was made, both parts said that their partnership has been established to reinforce the team, create and strengthen the project of the first ever Spanish Formula 1 team. The immediate aim, following the recently announced agreement with Williams F1, is to be able to have a much more competitive team. Jose Ramon Carabante and Juan Villalonga met Mr. Ecclestone to explain the project and the future of Hispania Racing.

Juan Villalonga was the pioneer in the sponsorship of Formula One in Spain during his time as President of Telefonica and, as Carabante said, “he has always felt, as I do, a clear passion for motorsport”.

“We will substantially strengthen our ability to generate innovative activities in marketing and sponsorship with his incorporation. We will also be able to make the best of his leadership, knowledge and relationships in the fields of Technology and Communications, and therefore be able to fully exploit the opportunities we are given after this tough first year.”

Playing with mathematical terms, he said, “this is a sum that multiplies and enhances our ability to grow as a team”.

Juan Villalonga said he felt excited with this new challenge: “Formula One is always associated with innovation, research and technology, and Hispania Racing must be represented on that level, with a stable leadership”. Aware of the huge investments required to have a competitive team, Juan Villalonga stressed that for him, “the key is the quality and not the quantity of sponsors”, and that his immediate goal is to help “develop new relationships with them, leading to the creation of more value for all implicated parts”.

JUAN VILLALONGA NAVARRO

Juan Villalonga Navarro (born April 8, 1953) is one of the most influential Spanish businessmen of the 21st century. His high-profile career includes such prominent positions as chief executive officer (CEO) of Telefonica (1996-2000), partner at McKinsey & Company (1980-1989), CEO for Credit Suisse First Boston (1993-1994), and CEO of Bankers’ Trust in Spain (1995-1996). Today, he is a business advisor and accelerator for companies and management teams worldwide, using instinct, market vision and sharp analytical skills to help these companies identify new growth opportunities, increase revenues, and create cultures that encourage risk taking and develop value for the clients. In 2010, Harvard Business Review named Villalonga one of the world’s top 100 CEOs.

Villalonga grow Telefonica from a state-owned monopoly to one of the top three telecommunication companies in the world. In just four years at the helm, he increased Telefónica’s market cap by $127 billion, securing the company’s leadership position in Spain and transforming Telefonica into an international telecommunications force. His vision to enter in Brazil in 1998 was key to become one of the leading operators in the world.