Jonathan Neale’s position as Managing Director at McLaren has gradually earned him more recognition and more media responsibilities. He has worked for the team since 2001, joining as operations director, and has been in his current position for ten years. With the reshuffle in 2014, Neale temporarily covers the new Chief Executive Officer position as well.

Biography

Neale studied physics at university, which paved the way for his entrance to the aerospace industry. He worked first at Philips Defence Systems, concentrating on the engineering side of the “electronic warfare division.” From there, he joined BAE leading various projects developed for commercial aircrafts. Gradually, he made his way up the ladder, becoming a director of operations and continuing his degree studies as he went.

He earned his MBA during this time, and after a stint as managing director of the Hawk Fast Jet Programme, he joined McLaren Racing in 2001. His initial role was as operations director, looking after the team logistics and processes.

In 2004, a reshuffle in the directorship saw him promoted to managing director, a position he has held ever since. In early 2014, with the return of Ron Dennis, another restructuring within the group saw him temporarily take over the newly created Chief Executive Officer role, until Dennis could find someone suitable to fill the position.