Norton signs on former Man Utd CEO

The job of turning around the Norton Motorcycles brand has been much tougher than anyone expected. Indian giant TVS has owned the firm for more than four years now and has made some big steps forward, with a new factory in Solihull, stabilisation of the brand, and extensive plans for the future. However, sorting out the problems inherited from the previous owners has taken a vast amount of time and effort.

That includes resolving serious quality problems experienced by owners of the V4 and Commando 961 models – an obligation which the new owners took on, despite having no real responsibility for. There have also been unforeseen problems with updating the legacy models for things like emission regulations. All that means the completely new model range the firm has waiting in the wings is taking longer to appear – though expect to see some brand-new Norton metal later this year.

Amidst these developments, Norton Motorcycles has also introduced new products and services. At the Bike Shed Show in London (see page 8), the company unveiled its One of One custom paint service, showcased on a stunning Steve Hislop replica V4SV. Furthermore, the brand has extended its reach with the opening of its first Scottish dealership, Revolutions, in Perth. The dealership will stock the full range of current V4 and Commando models, as well as parts and accessories, offering a comprehensive Norton experience to Scottish enthusiasts.

The biggest news, though, is the appointment of a new senior leadership team member. Richard Arnold comes to the company with an impressive CV which includes being CEO at Manchester United FC. A trained accountant with time at Price Waterhouse Coopers before he joined Manchester United in 2007, he had a number of roles at the famous football club before taking over from Ed Woodward as CEO in 2022, then leaving at the end of 2023 after Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his INEOS group took an interest in the club.

But perhaps the most relevant news is that 53-year-old Arnold is a proper biker and actually owns a Norton V4SV – so he has the “feel” for that side of things. Arnold’s exact new role or job title hasn’t been revealed, but the firm says he’ll play a big part on the commercial side. And you’d not bet against him playing a leading role over the medium term.

Arnold said: “I see a hugely exciting future for Norton, and I am proud to become part of the team. TVS Motor’s investment to date has put Norton in an excellent position, ready to launch new products and develop a global sales proposition. I am looking forward to using my experience to assist Norton in maximising the opportunities ahead and helping the established commercial team deliver a world-class customer experience”.

Current Norton Motorcycles CEO, Dr Robert Hentschel, added: “Following a £7m investment in our state-of-the-art headquarters in Solihull, Birmingham, we employed a dedicated team, focused on an extensive quality improvement programme so that we could provide both legacy and new customers with our re-engineered V4SV, Commando 961 and the new V4CR. Alongside this, development of the future product range continues to make excellent progress, thanks to the recent addition of Brian Gillen as chief technical officer. We can now focus our efforts on the future, new products and new markets worldwide.”