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Whyte Bikes, the award-winning UK bike brand, has announced that Nikki Hawyes, formerly from Cannondale, will take up the role as the new CEO, replacing Ed Culley, who departs for a new role.
Concurrently, Jonathan Neale, former COO McLaren Group and CEO McLaren Racing, will take the position of chairman, replacing David Hill.
Hawyes adds a wealth of experience to Whyte Bikes, with a proven track record in developing and executing successful sales strategies.
Her brand acumen and ability to capitalise on commercial opportunities has made her one of the most respected leaders in the business.
With a deep understanding of the bike industry and a passion for innovation, Hawyes is poised to lead Whyte Bikes into a new era of growth and success.
Jonathan Neale, Whyte’s new chairman, said: “Our 2024 range is our most exciting and innovative yet – with Nikki’s success in customer-focused commercial initiatives, we expect Whyte to significantly grow its market share”.
Hawyes expressed excitement about joining Whyte, adding: “I’m really honoured to be leading Whyte Bikes, a fantastic British brand known for its world-class engineering and innovation, and for putting the rider at its heart.
“I’m excited to be joining at a time when Whyte is strategically investing in its future: in research, design, and engineering, in brand, in leadership, in operations, and more. I’m really looking forward to contributing to the continued success and growth of Whyte in the UK and key international markets.”
Hawyes also works extensively with many external associations, advocating for a variety of initiatives from diversity programmes to community charity work to promoting the benefits of cycling for all as a member of the Bicycle Trade Association Leadership Group.
Matt Anstead from Cairngorm Capital, the investors behind Whyte Bikes, said: “We’re honoured and excited for Nikki and Jonathan to be joining the amazing team at Whyte Bikes. It’s great to see Whyte continue to deliver brilliant new innovative, high-performance bikes.
“We’d very much like to thank Ed and David for their important contributions to the business. Ed and David set the business on the right path during a challenging period of market turbulence. We wish them well in their future endeavours.”
