Ward enters the race for FIA presidency

David Ward has resigned from his position as FIA Foundation Director General and will enter the race for FIA presidency.

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He confirmed the news in a statement released by the FIA Foundation, revealing that despite no legal requirement for him to step down as Director General, he felt that it was in the "best interests of the charity" that he resigned after 12 years in the role.

The full statement posted on the FIA Foundation website read:

"After much careful thought I have decided to stand as a candidate in the 2013 FIA Presidential election. The election period begins in September and it will be necessary for me to approach FIA members to secure nominations. In these circumstances I think that the correct course of action is to resign. Election processes inevitably involve robust and lively debate, and whilst the Foundation is independent and there is no legal requirement for me to resign, I believe that it is in the best interests of the charity that I stand down now.

It has been a great privilege and words cannot express my gratitude to the trustees and staff for the support and loyalty I have been given since the Foundation was established in 2001. The Foundation has given me an extraordinary opportunity for professional fulfilment, building up the charity, creating a dedicated team, developing innovative activities that have reshaped the international agenda’s approach to road safety and the environment.

Very important to me has been the UN’s launch of the Decade of Action for Road Safety, the Moscow Ministerial in 2009, and the global campaign that helped to bring them about. Also very gratifying has been the creation of the Global New Car Assessment Programme and its pioneering work with emerging consumer crash test programmes in Latin America and Asia. The Foundation’s environmental work has been similarly successful, assisting in the UN Environment Programme’s drive to complete the removal of lead in fuel, and the launch of the Global Fuel Economy Initiative. As a former amateur competitor I am also pleased that the Foundation has been able to contribute significantly to the promotion of motor sport safety through research funding and grants for training programmes managed by the FIA Institute.

The Foundation, and especially its superb staff, has been a wonderful organisation to lead and, naturally, that makes it very hard to leave. Nevertheless, I am sure now is the time for me to move on not least because the trustees and staff are more than capable of sustaining the Foundation’s important work. I will, of course, also continue to strongly support the Foundation’s objects through my role as Secretary General of the Global NCAP and as Executive Secretary to Lord Robertson’s Commission for Global Road Safety and the Make Roads Safe campaign."

The FIA Foundation is an independent UK charity promoting road safety, the environment and sustainable transport alongside funding motorsport safety research. 

Earlier in Ward's career, he was a policy advisor to Labour party leader John Smith until his death in 1994. Two years later he became involved in the FIA as an advisor to then-president Max Mosley. The two are good friends and still work together via Mosley's chairmanship of Global NCAP - where Ward is trustee and secretary general.

Alongside his 12-year stint at the FIA Foundation, Ward spent over a decade on the board of the European New Car Assessment Programme. He is also involved in the Global New Car Assessment Programme and has been involved in the United Nation's Decade of Action for Road Safety - something the FIA has heavily promoted.

Those wishing to stand for FIA presidency must submit their election lists between October 23rd and November 13th.