SAKHIR, Bahrain (AP) — Turmoil at the FIA, the governing body for auto racing series like Formula 1, has deepened after its deputy president for sport resigned in protest at how it is run.
Robert Reid was a running mate when FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem was elected in 2021. His resignation is the latest sign of discontent with the direction taken by the FIA under Ben Sulayem, whose tenure has seen a rift with F1 drivers and numerous senior officials leave or be replaced.
“I took on this role to help deliver greater transparency, stronger governance, and more collaborative leadership,” Reid posted on social media on Thursday.
“Over time, those principles have been increasingly set aside and I can no longer, in good faith, remain part of a system that no longer reflects them.”
The FIA has clashed with F1 drivers over Ben Sulayem's plans to crack down on swearing. New rules introduced for 2025 make it possible for the FIA to suspend drivers who repeatedly swear or make political statements.
F1 champion Max Verstappen kept his answers to a minimum at an FIA news conference last year after he was punished for swearing. Drivers in the world rally championship last month boycotted interviews to protest a fine issued to a driver who used an expletive in an interview.
Reid, a former world champion rally co-driver, isn't the only voice at the FIA to express concern at how it is run.
British representative David Richards, a colleague of Reid's from his rallying days, said on Wednesday he was seeking a meeting with Ben Sulayem. Richards alleged he was excluded from a meeting of the FIA world motor sport council for refusing to sign a document he called a “gagging order" that would ban public discussion of key topics.
The FIA did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Reid's resignation.
AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing
The FIA logo is displayed in the paddock ahead of the Formula One Bahrain Grand Prix at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, Thursday, April 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)
The FIA logo is displayed in the paddock ahead of the Formula One Bahrain Grand Prix at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, Thursday, April 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic)
FILE -The FIA logo is seen on glass, with the sky reflected, during a free practice ahead the British Formula One Grand Prix at the Silverstone racetrack, in Silverstone, England, Friday, June 19 2009. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno, File)
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan 12, 2026--
Today, a leading global wedding technology platform The Knot Worldwide (TKWW), announced the appointment of Michael Pickrum as Chief Financial Officer. With more than 25 years of experience in strategic finance, operations, and business development within the media and technology industries, Pickrum will oversee TKWW’s global finance organization. Pickrum joins TKWW at an exciting moment as the company celebrates its 30-year anniversary and continues to grow and scale with a focus on product innovation.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260112910392/en/
Pickrum joins TKWW from Maximum Effort, the media, marketing, and investment company co-founded by Ryan Reynolds, where he served as Chief Financial Officer. Before this, he held the roles of COO and CFO at ExecOnline, Inc., a B2B online leadership development company. Pickrum spent over 17 years at BET/Viacom, where he served as EVP and CFO starting in 2007. Prior to that, he was COO of BET Interactive. He earned his master's and bachelor's degrees in engineering from Stanford University and his MBA from The Wharton School.
“I am thrilled to be joining TKWW at such an important time in the company’s journey,” said Michael Pickrum, CFO, TKWW. “There is incredible power in celebrations and I am looking forward to working with the exceptional team at TKWW to further enable our millions of couples and 900,000 small business owners around the world to celebrate life’s most meaningful moments.”
“Michael is a world-class financial and operations leader with an impressive track record of driving strategic growth and operational excellence across media and technology companies,” said Raina Moskowitz, CEO, TKWW. “As we continue to grow and scale with a focus on product innovation, Michael’s deep expertise in strategic planning, analysis, and capital allocation will be critical to our ongoing success. We are thrilled to have him join our team and help guide TKWW through our next phase of growth.”
Pickrum is based in New York, NY and reports to TKWW Chief Executive Officer Raina Moskowitz.
About The Knot Worldwide
Across North America, Europe, Latin America, and Asia, The Knot Worldwide champions the power of celebration. The company’s global family of brands provides best-in-class products, services, and content to take celebration planning from inspiration to action. Through its wedding brands, including The Knot, WeddingWire, Bodas.net, Hitched.co.uk, Mariages.net, Matrimonio.com, and others, the company offers an extensive database of hundreds of thousands of wedding professionals to assist couples in organizing the happiest day of their lives. We have a brand for every kind of celebration—from booking a birthday party, to planning a wedding, to preparing to become a parent, and every moment in between.
Michael Pickrum, courtesy of The Knot Worldwide
