Michiel Mol

Michiel Mol (born 4 August 1969) is a Dutch businessman, and former director of Spyker F1 and Force India.

Not to be confused with Michael Mol.

Michiel Mol
Mol in 2010
Born (1969-08-04) August 4, 1969
Delft, Netherlands
EducationLeiden University
OccupationBusinessman
Spouses
  • Paulien Huizinga
    ​
    ​
    (m. 2004; div. 2011)​
  • Marlous Mens
    ​
    (m. 2018)​
Children1

Early life and career

Mol was born in Delft, Netherlands. His father, Jan Mol, co-founded the software company Volmac in 1966. The company was successful, and following flotation on the stock market in 1988, Volmac was purchased by CAP Gemini in 1992.[1] [2]

After obtaining a master's degree in computer science from Leiden University, Mol himself went into the software business. In 1993 he set up Lost Boys with several friends, developing software for the CD-ROM market. With the rapid growth of the Internet, the company started making internet software as well as moving into game development. Lost Boys then merged with Swedish company IconMedialab in 2001.[3][4]

Mol remained on the board and kept the Lost Boys Games division, before establishing a new company called Media Republic, aiming to use new technology to market products. Lost Boys Games was transformed into Guerrilla Games, notable for developing the PlayStation 2 game Killzone, during 2004 and a year later it was sold to Sony.[5][6]

Formula One

Mol supported Dutch driver Jos Verstappen through his Lost Boys brand, including sponsoring the Arrows Grand Prix team.[7] Later, Mol would support another Dutch driver Christijan Albers.[8] In 2006, Mol led a group of directors with the Spyker Cars company to purchase the Midland F1 Team from Alex Shnaider for $106.6million.[9][10] [11] Mol was appointed F1 Race Director of the newly formed team.[12] On 16 May 2007, Mol was appointed interim CEO of Spyker Cars.[13]

During 2007, there were reports of financial difficulties at Spyker Cars and rumour the Formula One team may split.[14] Mol resigned as Interim CEO to concentrate on the Formula One team project in August.[15] In September 2007, Spyker Cars announced that a consortium of Michol Mol, Jan Mol and Vijay Mallya had purchased the team for €80million.[16][17] From 2008, the team became known as Force India and Mol retained a shareholding until 2018 when the team went into administration and was purchased by Lawrence Stroll.[18]

Space Expedition Corporation

Mol is a co-founder of Space Expedition Corporation (SXC), which intends to offer suborbital space tourism flights and scientific research missions out of Space Port Curaçao.[19] The company was since renamed XCOR Aerospace, and filed for bankruptcy in 2017.[20]

Personal life

In July 2004, Mol married Paulien Huizinga, a former Miss Universe Netherlands and now a Dutch TV personality. They lived together in Blaricum. Together they have a daughter and a son. In August 2011 it was announced that Huizinga and Mol would divorce.[21] In 2018, Mol married Marlous Mens.[22]

References
  1. "VOLMAC GOES PUBLIC THIS WEEK WITH AIM TO EXPAND OUTSIDE ITS NETHERLANDS BASE". Techmonitor. 9 May 1988. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  2. "Capgemini 2006 Financial Report" (PDF). Capgemini. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  3. "Michiel Mol". Grandprix.com. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  4. "Icon Medialab merges with Lost Boys". Campaign. 10 December 2001. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  5. "Sony Acquires Guerrilla Games". Game Developer. 7 December 2005. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  6. "Guerrilla B.V." Mobygames. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  7. "Lost Boys Find Arrows Deal". crash.net. 3 March 2000. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  8. "Albers back with Spyker in '07". crash.net. 29 September 2006. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  9. "Midland sale to Spyker now complete". Autosport. 9 September 2006. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  10. "Spyker buys Midland F1 team". Autocar. 11 September 2006. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  11. "Midland F1 team sold to Spyker". Times of Malta. 10 September 2006. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  12. "Spyker Cars become new owner of MF1 Racing". Motorsport. 10 December 2006. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  13. "NEW CEO FOR SPYKER CARS N.V". Spyker Cars. 16 May 2007. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  14. "Spyker F1 Not In Money Trouble". Motor Authority. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  15. "Spyker's CEO Resigns F1 Team Could Be Up For Sale". Motor Authority. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  16. "Spyker complete sale of F1 team". BBC. 5 October 2007. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  17. "Spyker confirm F1 team sale". Autosport. 21 September 2017. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  18. "Lawrence Stroll". Forbes. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  19. "XCOR Aerospace and Space Expedition Curaçao sign eight-figure wet lease contract for Lynx suborbital spacecraft". Retrieved 3 October 2011.
  20. "XCOR Files for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy". 9 November 2017. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
  21. Paulien Huizinga gaat scheiden - website of the Dutch Newspaper De Telegraaf (Dutch)
  22. "Michiel Mol en Marlous Mens geven elkaar jawoord". De Telegraaf. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
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