What Drives Us

Leaders in Motorsports, Automotive, and Strategic Development

Professional Background and Industry Contributions

Ignition Advisory Group reflects decades of experience in professional motorsports, automotive industry consulting, and large-scale venue operations. Prior engagements have encompassed facility development, event promotion, business strategy, and sponsorship activation across leading motorsports and automotive platforms.

Team members have contributed to the planning and operational advancement of world-class motorsports venues that have hosted premier international and domestic events, including Formula 1, MotoGP, IMSA, FIA WEC, FIA Rallycross, NASCAR, IndyCar, and regional club racing series. In past roles as motorsport facility advisors, operational planners, and strategic consultants, critical insights were provided to investors, venue operators, and public-sector stakeholders assessing the economic viability and long-term sustainability of motorsport-related initiatives.

Beyond circuit operations, experience has included collaboration with automotive manufacturers, national driving schools, and dealership networks on the design and delivery of product education programs, consumer driving experiences, and engagement strategies aimed at supporting brand value and organizational growth.

The examples presented throughout this site reflect a history of strategic contributions across multiple domains in motorsport and automotive consulting.

The Founder

Eric Paradis

- Senior Executive in Motorsports & Automotive Strategy

- Founder & High-Performance Advisor

- Former Pro Racing Driver / Instructor

Eric Paradis has accumulated over 25 years of experience in professional racing, business development, and strategic consulting for performance-focused brands and motorsports venues. His background combines firsthand competitive driving with advisory expertise across the automotive, motorcycle, and motorsports sectors.

Eric began his career as a professional driver and team owner, independently securing sponsorship and managing operations to compete in Canada, the United States, and Europe. His race history includes series such as FF1600, Firestone Indy Lights, the VLN and RCN Series, and the KTM X-Bow Battle. These experiences at the elite level of motorsport provided foundational industry knowledge that later informed his work with OEMs, circuits, talent development initiatives, and motorsports investors.

Following his driving career, Eric established an independent consulting firm and collaborated with a range of global automotive brands, including Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Jaguar Land Rover, Volvo, Lamborghini, and Ferrari. His contributions included the design and execution of product launch strategies, driving experiences, sales and executive training programs, and customer engagement platforms. These projects were developed to support long-term brand value and market performance.

During this period, Eric also founded a secondary venture in the private automotive sector, serving as a sales broker focused on the importation of high-performance vehicles from the United States to Canada for individual clients.

Eric later joined Circuit of The Americas (COTA) as a Senior Executive Consultant for Business Development. Over nearly a decade, he collaborated with senior leadership on commercial partnerships, event programming, and operational strategy. His work supported long-range planning, business growth, community outreach, and educational programming—contributing to the circuit’s overall positioning as a leading venue in North American motorsports.

From 2022 to 2024, Eric Paradis served as an Executive Management Consultant with Flatrock Entertainment Group, where he contributed to the early-stage development of a large-scale motorsports facility in Tennessee. His role emphasized foundational strategy, stakeholder engagement, brand positioning, and facility planning during a formative period in the project’s evolution.

Following that engagement, Eric formalized his advisory background under the Ignition Advisory Group banner—a professional platform documenting prior work in motorsports, motorcycle, and automotive strategy. Past engagements have included leadership consulting, event programming models, talent development frameworks, and OEM-aligned training initiatives.

Throughout his career, Eric has emphasized collaborative execution, long-term value creation, and a people-centered approach to motorsports development. His work has been guided by the principle that meaningful outcomes are achieved through shared effort, strong partnerships, and a commitment to building lasting impact.

ADVISORY BOARD

Strategic Growth Leaders in Business, Motorsports, Motorcycle, and Automotive Sectors Advancing Performance-Driven Culture

  • Jocelyn Rioux

    Certified Executive Coach • Strategic Growth Advisor • Corporate Restructuring Expert • Speaker & Author

    Jocelyn Rioux is a trusted advisor to executives and business owners navigating moments of accelerated growth, complex reorganization, or deep transformation. As the Founder and President of Plan B société de coaching, Jocelyn has spent the past two decades helping leaders build resilient strategies, develop authentic leadership practices, and achieve sustainable success — both professionally and personally.

    Jocelyn's experience includes serving in advisory and executive leadership roles across diverse sectors — from engineering to mobility to architecture — including with Norda Stelo, Accès Location +, Lemay, and Taxelco. Whether guiding strategic audits, leading executive turnarounds, or designing board governance frameworks, Jocelyn brings calm resolve, systems thinking, and an unwavering commitment to quality.

  • Calim Bouhadra

    Engineering Strategist • Motorsport Executive • Operational Leader

    Calim Bouhadra brings over two decades of experience at the intersection of precision engineering, motorsports innovation, and global operational leadership. His career has spanned manufacturing, racing, high-performance timepieces, and complex organizational development — consistently shaped by a commitment to technical excellence, entrepreneurial thinking, and collaborative growth.

    From 2014 to 2023, Calim led the REBELLION Corporation, uniting its three flagship divisions — REBELLION Racing, REBELLION Timepieces, and REBELLION Motors — under a single strategic vision.

    His leadership in racing operations included managing top-tier driver talent such as Bruno Senna, Nicolas Prost, André Lotterer, and Romain Dumas, while also securing and activating global partnerships with brands like Motul, BALR., and ZENT. At the same time, Calim played a central role in shaping the REBELLION brand's presence across F1, Pikes Peak, and Tour Auto through strategic ambassador programs and event platforms.

  • Joaquin Mejia

    CEO, Autobahner S.A. | Automotive Aftermarket & Performance Tuning Specialist

    Joaquin Mejia is the CEO of Autobahner S.A., Mexico’s leading high-performance automotive aftermarket company, serving discerning enthusiasts and luxury vehicle owners across the country. With over 30 years of industry experience, Joaquin has built Autobahner into a trusted name in precision tuning, known for its exceptional service, technical expertise, and exclusive access to premier European brands such as Brabus, Techart, Novitec, ABT, Startech, and more.

    Under Joaquin’s leadership, Autobahner has become the exclusive importer for many of these iconic brands, curating the latest in global performance innovations and delivering them with a commitment to craftsmanship and customer satisfaction. His team continually travels worldwide to stay ahead of trends in technology, design, and tuning excellence.

  • Dario Raimondi

    MotoGP Sporting Coordinator Motorsports Program Strategist

    With over two decades at the highest levels of international motorcycle racing, Dario Raimondi brings deep expertise in sporting operations, team coordination, and performance management to the Ignition Advisory Group advisory board. His career reflects a steady, hands-on progression through the world’s most competitive environments — from factory teams in MotoGP to global consulting in motorsports operations.

    Dario began his journey in professional racing with Yamaha’s World Championship Team, where for seven years he was responsible for managing staff and logistics across all Grand Prix events and pre-season testing.

    In 2003, Dario joined Ducati Corse, where he played a critical role in the formation of Ducati’s first official MotoGP team. He later brought that experience to roles with Kawasaki Racing Team and Aprilia Racing, leading multifaceted teams and delivering consistent results under pressure.

  • Jean-François Veilleux

    Professional Racing Driver | Team Development Strategist | Automotive Facilitator | Motorsports Broadcaster

    A former Canadian Formula Ford 1600 Champion and member of the prestigious Player’s Driver Development Program, Jean-François competed internationally in USF2000, Formula Atlantic, and the Grand-Am Sports Car Series. Jean-François developed a sharp technical acumen and an intuitive understanding of driver development — qualities he later applied as Project Manager with Van Amersfoort Racing, one of Europe’s most respected junior formula teams. While leading special projects from 2011 to 2018, he played a strategic role in team and driver development across the ADAC Formula 4 Championship, working during a pivotal era when VAR nurtured future stars such as Charles Leclerc, Mick Schumacher, Liam Lawson, Harrison Newey, Oliver Bearman and Frederik Vesti. Notably, Max Verstappen, now a multi-time Formula 1 World Champion, is also a graduate of the Van Amersfoort program, further underscoring the team’s influence on global motorsport.

  • Stefan Eichhorner

    Senior Consultant OEM Activation & Motorsports Training

    Stefan Eichhorner is the founder of Global motorEMOTIONS KG, a specialized agency focused on the design and delivery of driving events, product launches, and experiential programs for high-performance automotive brands worldwide. With more than 30 years of industry experience, Stefan has been a respected figure in European motorsports, rallying, and OEM training, known for his quiet excellence and enduring dedication to the craft of performance driving.

    Since 1994, Stefan has served as a senior instructor and product trainer for Audi Driving Experience, leading programs across the globe to support new model introductions, dealer engagement, and customer education.

    Beyond training, Stefan’s passion for motorsport has taken him from the rally stages of the World Rally Championshipto the pit lanes of Formula Renault, where he co-founded and managed BEM Racing Team. Under his leadership, the team competed in Germany and Italy and mentored young driving talent, including Earl Bamber, now a two-time Le Mans 24 Hours winner

  • Timothy Chandler

    Senior Marketing Executive

    Tim Chandler brings over two decades of experience in strategic marketing, sales leadership, and partner relationship management, with a proven ability to build trusted brand partnerships and drive revenue across national platforms. With a background spanning media, non-profit leadership, and motorsports, Tim’s versatility and creativity have made him a go-to leader for organizations seeking measurable results and long-term brand value.

    Tim’s early career was anchored at Scripps Networks Interactive, where he developed national television advertising campaigns and led one of the most successful promotions in the media industry: the HGTV Dream Home Sweepstakes. His expertise in creative sponsorship integration and national-scale project management was further honed during his tenure at Discovery Inc., where he served as Senior Account Executive for the South/Mid-Atlantic region, consistently exceeding sales targets for 18 consecutive years.