Royal Enfield appoints Rod Copes as President of North America

Royal Enfield has roped in the former Harley-Davidson Head of Global Sales and Customer Service, Rod Copes, as the President of its North America operations. Rod will be handed the responsibility of pushing the Indian manufacturer’s business in the US and Canada.

The announcement comes on the heels of the launch of the Royal Enfield Continental GT motorcycle in the US market. The fastest and lightest single-seater motorcycle from the company, it is built at the Royal Enfield factory in Oragadam near Chennai and retails in the US market for USD 5,999 (Rs 3.68 lakh). The US is Royal Enfield’s top export market and with this appointment, the company has stated its intentions to rapidly expand the brand in the country.

Speaking about the deputation, Siddhartha Lal, MD and CEO, Eicher Motors Ltd said, “Rod comes to us with a rich worldwide experience of more than 20 years in the motorcycle industry. His in-depth understanding of the North American markets and marquee brands will be vital for Royal Enfield. I welcome Rod to the Royal Enfield family and wish him a long a fruitful association with the company.”

In his previous role at Harley-Davidson, Rod was responsible for driving the American manufacturer’s business across four global sales regions and three product categories: motorcycles, parts and accessories and general merchandise. Besides this, he was also involved in the company’s expansion across emerging countries, including India.

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 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.”