KTM has been on a correction course of late. Bajaj, the Austrian brand’s new owner, is tearing apart the company’s structure, cutting out mostly middle management employees and keeping workers who are essential to keeping the production line running. To regain the public’s trust and move old stock, KTM recently rolled out one of the best warranty programs in the industry. But this is damage control rather than a growth strategy. Now, team orange is making moves for the future.
The brand recently announced that Stephan Reiff, former BMW Motorrad Vice President, will join its Executive Board as Chief Commercial Officer. Reiff is here to usher in a prosperous future for KTM, as his job is to oversee sales, marketing, brand strategy, dealer network, and after-sales with the aim of furthering product and platform strategy.
Reiff should be able to make a considerable impact, too, bringing more than 25 years of management experience across a range of positions in the automobile and motorcycle industries. His resume reads with roles at BMW like Head of Volume and Price Planning, Head of Aftersales Strategy and Parts Pricing, VP Parts, Logistics Services, and Regional Distribution Centers, VP Aftersales BMW North America, VP Product Strategy, VP Sales Steering Region Europe, and VP Customer, Brand, and Sales for PMW Motorrad.
It looks like it’d be easier to list the jobs at BMW that Reiff hasn’t held. After the failure of KTM's ex-CEO, Stefan Pierer, to turn the ship around, Reiff should come as a welcome addition to the team. Current KTM CEO, Gottfried Neumeister, certainly seems to think a lot of the ex-BMW employee.
Speaking about the new hire, Neumeister said, “With Stephan Reiff, we are gaining an exceptionally experienced and strategically strong leader. His international expertise, deep industry knowledge, and proven track record in the premium motorcycle segment will significantly strengthen our position. This appointment supports our strategic focus on stability, international competitiveness, and sustainable growth.”
Whether KTM's latest hire will kickstart a major shift in the direction of the brand going forward remains to be seen. If he did away with the brand's subscription model for features already installed on their motorcycles, that'd be a big win in my books.
