Debbie Wall — ESG Director, Aston Martin Aramco Formula One® Team
A career shaped by Formula 1, technology, and purpose. Debbie shares what inclusion really means inside one of sport's most high-profile organisations — and why she believes Aleto is uniquely placed to make it happen.
A Career Shaped by Formula 1
I started my career in Formula 1 in the late 1980s, taking on my first full-time role with Benetton in 1993, and went on to work across several teams, agencies and sponsor-side roles, including leading international sponsorship for Orange.
I later founded my own agency, delivering global sponsorship programmes for major brands, before moving into the technology sector with Sage, where I transitioned into ESG leadership and founded the Sage Foundation. I returned to Formula 1 in 2021 as ESG Director at Aston Martin Aramco Formula One® Team, bringing together my experience across sport, commercial partnerships and sustainability.
In my opinion, it's the best job in the team.
My role gives me the privilege of supporting people in our local community to thrive — by developing outreach and education programmes, and by working with incredible charities like the Aleto Foundation to create opportunities for people to experience Formula One and explore whether it could be a future career for them. I also lead our sustainability programme, ensuring that we operate responsibly at our Silverstone campus and across race locations around the world.
The Evolving Challenge of ESG
ESG has developed rapidly in recent years, bringing both opportunity and complexity for organisations. One of the biggest challenges today is the growing complexity and ever-changing regulations companies are expected to adopt, which can put significant demands on a business to build stronger governance systems and demonstrate credible, measurable progress — all at a time when the goalposts continue to move.
"ESG practices need to be ingrained into culture and be business as usual, not a 'nice to have'. This is not always easy, but with strong leadership support and simple changes, progress can be made which will increase business performance both financially and culturally."
Building the Leadership in Motorsport Programme
My career has been connected to Formula One for more than 30 years. I spent eight years in the technology sector, and it was during this time that I truly saw the impact strong ESG practices can have — boosting productivity, attracting talent, and shaping a positive, high-performance culture.
While working in tech, I was approached by the Aleto Foundation to host one of their leadership programmes for young people. I began developing this with the HR team, and although I left the business before the programme launched, I carried the idea with me: to build something similar within Formula One.
It took a couple of years to bring to life, but we are now proudly in our third cohort — and the programme continues to go from strength to strength.
Aleto is uniquely positioned to support organisations like Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team because of its ability to connect us with talented young people from a wide range of backgrounds. That diversity of experience and perspective is invaluable when we think about the future culture and leadership of our team.
The programme has also given us a platform to develop our own team members by giving them the opportunity to mentor and learn from young people. We see this as a win-win outcome for everyone.
Moments That Stand Out
There have been many standout moments across the three cohorts, but the most powerful is seeing how much confidence grows in the young people over the course of the programme — and seeing where they go on to study and work afterwards.
"Another highlight is how many of the mentor and mentee relationships formed continue well beyond the programme itself. This is a true testament to the Aleto programme and team who support everyone on their journey to success."
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