Alan Kinch, from Wokingham, is hoping the Formula One team will improve on its third place finish in the Constructor’s Championship least year.

He said: “We did a fantastic performance in 2014 competing against teams with much bigger budgets.

“We expect to be competitive again in the coming year.” The 36-year-old, who started as finance chief last December, is the latest in a string of key executive hirings, following group chief executive officer Mike O’Driscoll and chief technology officer Pat Symonds, who both joined in 2013.

Mr Kinch, who grew up in the Cotswolds village of Minety, comes to motorsport after a decade in the telecommunications industry.

He said: “I was thinking it was probably the right point to leave Vodafone and take up a number one position at a public company.” The Reading University mathematical statistics graduate initially worked with KPMG before joining Cable & Wireless as an accountant.

He rose to become C&W’s group financial controller and was involved with Vodafone’s integration of the business after its 2012 takeover.

His last position was finance director of Vodafone Carrier Services.

Essentially, running the financial side of a business in the telecom and motorsport industries is very similar, he said.

But the big difference is that in Formula One any investment decision must be “focused on what gets the best car performance on track”.

He added: “You become more competitive, improve your position on the grid, win more prizemoney and attract more sponsors.” The fastest the motorsport finance man has driven was about 160 mph in a Ferrari, he said.

The chance of topping thatin a Williams F1 car is unlikely.

“I might try to wangle my way into one of the simulators if I fit.”