Here's the official announcement. Rod Copes, formerly of Harley Davidson, will champion Royal Enfield's efforts in North America. It shows India IS interested in the U.S. market. But what a career shift, from a brand that is a household word in the U.S. to one too few people know about:
Royal Enfield names Rod Copes as President of North America
New Delhi/ Milwaukee/Faribault, Royal Enfield, the world’s oldest motorcycle brand in continuous production and the world’s fastest growing motorcycle manufacturer, has named industry-veteran Rod Copes as President, North America. Rod will be responsible for driving Royal Enfield’s businesses in North America in cooperation with the existing importers and distributors. Classic Motorworks LTD. of Faribault MN has been the Royal Enfield importer and distributor since 1999 and will continue to serve that function.
Kevin Mahoney, President of Classic Motorworks said “We welcome and are encouraged by the appointment of Rod. Royal Enfield has made a strong commitment to North America and the appointment of such a highly qualified, experienced and well-regarded person like Rod is further evidence of that commitment.”
By naming Copes to a top-level executive position, Royal Enfield has firmly stated its intentions to rapidly expand the brand in the United States of America, its top export market....
Rod Copes has previously worked with Harley-Davidson for nearly 20 years, most recently as Head of Global Sales and Customer Service. He was responsible for growing the company’s businesses across four global sales regions and three product categories: motorcycles, Parts & Accessories and General Merchandise. He spearheaded the brand’s geographic expansion across emerging markets and established offices in locations such as Singapore, Miami (Latin America), New Delhi, Moscow, Dubai, Saul Paulo, Shanghai, Prague, Athens and Seoul. Rod, who holds both a Master’s degree in Engineering and an MBA from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, left Harley-Davidson in late 2012 to follow his passion and entrepreneurial spirit of working with smaller companies and new ventures.
Commenting on his new role, Rod Copes President North America, Royal Enfield said, “My association with Royal Enfield goes back to my early days in India when I first met Siddhartha. I have admired Royal Enfield’s classic designs ever since. These are exciting times for the motorcycle industry and I am looking forward to working with the world’s fastest growing motorcycle brand. The North American region provides an interesting opportunity for the brand. While lightweight and heavyweight bikes dominate the motorcycle scene in the U.S.A and Canada, Royal Enfield sits right in the middle with classic, fun, approachable designs that appeal to a younger, urban-oriented demographic. The new generation of riders is interested in a more hands-on motorcycling experience that is part of their lifestyle.”
LikeLike · · Share · 1511