Silverstone chief quits after sale

Silverstone marketing chief Andrew Waller is to leave the company next month without a job to go to following the sale of the company by Interpublic Group (IPG) to the British Racing Drivers Club (BRDC).

Waller joined IPG-owned Octagon Motorsport, which owned the Silverstone and Brands Hatch racing tracks, as sales and marketing director in 2002 from Walt Disney Travel Company, where he was managing director.

Octagon Motorsport was split up at the beginning of the year following the sale of Brands Hatch to racing driver Jonathan Palmer in a deal worth about &£40m.

Waller was promoted to managing director of the renamed Silverstone motorsports business and was charged with freeing IPG from the loss-making business. He will leave the company after the hand-over to the BRDC on December 15.

Waller says he will review his options following a break, but says he is unlikely to stay with the IPG group. Prior to Walt Disney, Waller held various marketing posts at British Airways, Hertz UK and Norwegian Cruise Line.

Octagon Motorsport was blamed for record losses at IPG over the past few years. Other marketers at the business have already left, including marketing director Alistair Farrimond in February (MW February 19).