Stefan Pierer, CEO of KTM AG, will start serving today as President of the European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (ACEM), the industry association that represents motorcycle manufacturers in Europe. Mr Pierer succeeds Mr Stephan Schaller, whose mandate comes to an end.

Mr Schaller, who serves as President of BMW Motorrad and the International Motorcycle Manufacturers Association, will become one of ACEM’s Vice-presidents. Mr Michele Colaninno, member of Piaggio’s board of directors and CEO and COO of the Immsi Group, becomes the other Vice-president of the European association.

This team of motorcycle industry executives will lead ACEM until July 2019, when the association’s general assembly will decide on the next senior leadership team.

It is not the first time that the CEO of KTM AG is appointed President of ACEM. He had served in this position between July 2007 and 2011 and ad interim between September 2012 and March 2013.

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Commenting on his election, Stefan Pierer said:

- “Mr Schaller has done an excellent job at positioning ACEM for the future. I know I speak for the whole European motorcycle community in stating how much this work is appreciated”.

- “Our sector is confronted to several important challenges. The European motorcycle market has not completely recovered from the economic crisis and the conditions to export to countries like the UK and the US can no longer be taken for granted. We also need to work to ensure that our sector has a reasonable amount of lead-time to implement the new European rules on type-approval of motorcycles, particularly the new Euro 5 requirements”.

- “I am excited to be leading a team that will work hard to ensure that motorcycling has the place it deserves in Europe and beyond – as a solution for mobility and leisure opportunity. Within a forward-looking vision, the motorcycle industry will continue to play this role”.

Antonio Perlot, the Secretary General of ACEM said:

- “I am looking forward to start working again with Stefan Pierer, a widely-respected business leader with substantial global experience, as well as with our two new Vice-presidents. Together, with the full ACEM membership, we will continue engaging with the European institutions and other stakeholders”.

Documents available to download

Press release - Stefan Pierer begins term as President of the European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (pdf)

Note for editors

• An Austrian national, Mr Stefan Pierer began his career in 1982. In 1987, he founded the CROSS holding group (now KTM Industries group) in which he acts as majority shareholder and member of the Board of Directors. Further to being the CEO of KTM AG, he is also the Chairman of the board at Pankl Racing Systems AG.

• The European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (ACEM) represents manufacturers of mopeds, motorcycles, three-wheelers and quadricycles (L-category vehicles) in Europe. ACEM members include 18 manufacturing companies and 17 national industry associations. About 156,000 jobs depend on the motorcycle, moped, tricycle and quadricycle industry in Europe.

• ACEM manufacturing members, which include some of the largest multinationals in the sector, are: BMW Motorrad, Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP), Ducati Motor holding, Harley-Davidson, Honda, Kawasaki, KTM, KYMCO, MV Agusta, Peugeot Scooters, Piaggio, Polaris Industries, Renault, Royal Enfield, Suzuki, Triumph Motorcycles and Yamaha.

Press contact

Manuel Ordonez de Barraicua. ACEM Communications Officer
+32 (0) 22 30 97 32.