Paddy McNally
British businessman and racing driver (born 1937)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Patrick Sean McNally (born 20 December 1937)[1] is a British businessman and former racing driver. He was chief executive of Allsport Management, a Swiss-based company which controlled Formula One advertising and hospitality via the Paddock Club.
20 December 1937
- Motorsport executive
- entrepreneur
- racing driver
- journalist
Paddy McNally | |
|---|---|
McNally at the 1971 Monaco Grand Prix | |
| Born | Patrick Sean McNally 20 December 1937 Gravesend, Kent, England |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1963–2011 |
| Term | Managing director of Allsport Management |
| Spouse |
Anne Downing
(m. 1967; died 1980) |
| Children | 2 |
Early life
McNally was born on 20 December 1937 in Gravesend, the son of G/Capt. Patrick McNally, a Royal Air Force officer, and Mary Deane Outred.[2] He was a relative of racing driver Redmond Gallagher. He grew up in County Monaghan, Ireland, and was educated at Stonyhurst College.[citation needed]
Career
Beginning his career as a motorsports journalist for Autosport magazine, McNally was also involved in sports car racing throughout the 1960s.[3][4] Residing in Lausanne, Switzerland, he then worked for Philip Morris's Marlboro as a sponsorship consultant.[5][6] Later he was a driver manager of James Hunt, a friend who he "looked after" on behalf of Marlboro (1977–79).[7]
By 1983 McNally had begun working with Bernie Ecclestone.[6][8] In December 1983, he set up Allsport Management SA, a company which provided corporate hospitality and trackside advertising for Formula One events.[8][9] Based in Geneva, Allsport and related Allsopp Parker & Marsh (APM), registered in Ireland,[10] owned the trackside advertising rights at Formula One circuits and operated the Formula One Paddock Club,[11] the Grand Prix hospitality provider.[12][13][14]
In March 2006, he sold Allsport Management to CVC.[15][16][17] He remained chief executive until 2011, when he announced his retirement.[18][19][20] McNally is considered a principal architect of modern commercial Formula One.[21][22]
Personal life
In 1967, he married Anne Downing, daughter of the wealthy racing driver Ken Downing; they had two sons.[2][23] McNally was romantically involved with Sarah Ferguson (formerly Duchess of York) between 1982 and 1985.[24][25][26] The pair remain close friends.[27][28][29] He was also linked with Finnish fashion model Nina Rindt.[30]
McNally has owned chalets in the Swiss ski resort Verbier since 1980, referred to as "the Castle".[31][32][33][34] In 2008 a grouse moor owned by McNally was raided by Scottish wildlife police.[35]
He is the owner of Sevenhampton Place, Wiltshire, the former home of James Bond author Ian Fleming.[36][37] He also led a restoration project of the Georgian property Buckland House, Oxfordshire.[38]