Gary Foote
Most technology leaders are asked to deliver speed, resilience and measurable performance with a flat budget and a shrinking error tolerance. The leadership conversation has moved past digital transformation as a project and now sits inside the operating model itself. What executives want is a working picture of how IT, data and AI compound into competitive advantage when decisions are made in seconds and failure is public.
Gary Foote is a serving Formula 1 CIO who shows senior leaders how technology, data and AI translate into competitive performance inside one of the most time-pressured operating environments in business.
Full Profile
Why organisations work with Gary Foote
- He is a current F1 Chief Information Officer, now at GM Performance Power Units, building the technology function for the Cadillac F1 power unit programme from the ground up.
- He ran the IT and digital operation at Haas F1 for a decade, taking the team from a start-up entry in 2016 to a competitive, data-driven constructor with global infrastructure.
- His remit at Haas covered IT, digital, facilities, operations, ESG and business continuity, which gives boards a realistic view of how sustainability and technology intersect inside a performance business.
- He has been named in the UK CIO 100 for five consecutive years and is a Fellow of the British Computer Society, so the credibility holds up in a room of sitting CIOs.
- His track record spans Cosworth, Honda Racing F1, Brawn GP and Mercedes Grand Prix, covering six motorsport world championships, which lets him speak to high-performance culture without leaning on abstract frameworks.
Biography highlights
- Chief Information Officer, GM Performance Power Units, the General Motors and TWG Global company delivering the Cadillac F1 power unit.
- Former CIO and Director of Sustainability at MoneyGram Haas F1 Team, a role held for approximately ten years.
- Earlier senior technology roles at Mercedes Grand Prix, Brawn GP, Honda Racing F1 and Cosworth Technology.
- Fellow of the British Computer Society.
- Named in the UK CIO 100 five years running, 2021 to 2025.
- Trustee at Tove Learning Trust and active advocate for STEM education.
Biography
Haas F1 arrived on the grid in 2016 with two cars, a lean headcount and a blank technology estate. Gary Foote built the IT and digital backbone that made that entry possible, then spent a decade scaling it into the stack of a competitive constructor.
His brief at Haas eventually covered IT, digital, facilities, ESG and business continuity, which is a wider surface than most corporate CIO roles carry. That is the frame he brings to boards: technology strategy shaped by the realities of logistics, carbon reporting, risk and culture inside one business.
Today he is CIO at GM Performance Power Units, the General Motors and TWG Global company set up to build the Cadillac F1 power unit. He is doing again what most CIOs never get the chance to do once, which is stand up an elite-sport technology function from a clean sheet while the competitive clock is already running.
The credentials back the story. He is a Fellow of the British Computer Society and has been listed in the UK CIO 100 five years in a row. He writes and speaks in named industry outlets including Computer Weekly, Infosecurity Magazine and Celonis, and he sits on the board of Tove Learning Trust.
Key speaking topics
- Technology leadership in high-performance sport
- Artificial intelligence and data strategy in Formula 1
- Cybersecurity in time-critical operations
- Digital transformation inside elite teams
- Sustainability and ESG in motorsport
- Scaling an IT function from start-up to championship contender
- High-performance culture and cross-functional operations
Ideal for
- CIO, CTO and CDO audiences looking at AI, data and infrastructure investment decisions
- Boards and executive teams benchmarking their operating model against high-tempo performance businesses
- Sustainability and ESG leaders in industrial and logistics-heavy sectors
Audience outcomes
- A working picture of how a Formula 1 team uses data, AI and cloud infrastructure to compete race by race.
- A sharper view of how technology, facilities and ESG sit inside one leadership remit rather than separate silos.
- Practical reference points for scaling an IT function quickly without accruing legacy risk.
- A candid read on cybersecurity and business continuity in an environment where downtime is visible to the world.
Talks
An exploration of how Formula One team leadership has evolved as teams have grown in size and complexity, and how high-performance organisations align large workforces behind ambitious, clearly defined goals.
Key takeaways:
- How competitive leaders build accountability, psychological safety and strong cross-functional communication.
- The role of continuous improvement and data-driven performance measurement in elite teams.
- Why people, culture and environment are decisive factors in driving innovation and competitive advantage.
A practical look at how Formula One teams align up to 1800 staff behind shared purpose and deliver against non-negotiable deadlines in a global championship environment.
Key takeaways:
- The importance of alignment behind strategy and ambitious goals across distributed teams.
- How high-pressure execution, such as pit stops, demonstrates precision, coordination and trust.
- Why agility and the ability to flex strategy are critical in fast-changing competitive landscapes.
An inside view of how Formula One uses data, technology and continuous improvement to enhance performance, accelerate decision-making and drive innovation.
Key takeaways:
- How data enables teams to diagnose issues, optimise performance and speed up decisions.
- The role of secure, globally connected systems in supporting real-time collaboration.
- How simulators, additive manufacturing, machine learning and AI are transforming operations and development.
An examination of how Formula One has transformed its approach to safety and risk, balancing non-negotiable compliance with a culture that enables innovation.
Key takeaways:
- Why clear safety priorities and shared standards underpin sustained performance.
- The difference between risk aversion and effective risk management in competitive environments.
- How learning cultures that avoid blame foster openness, creativity and controlled experimentation.
An insight into how Formula One teams navigate continuous change, from technology and compliance to media, competition and societal expectations.
Key takeaways:
- The leadership disciplines required to manage and communicate transformation.
- How teams adapt their business models and embrace digitalisation.
- Why engaging people throughout periods of change is critical to successful implementation.
A perspective on how Formula One is working to broaden participation and create opportunities across under-represented groups within motorsport.
Key takeaways:
- How long-term initiatives encourage diverse talent to pursue careers in Formula One.
- The role of structured programmes in developing female and under-represented talent.
- Why inclusive practices and industry-wide support strengthen the future of the sport.