Reid Cycles UK appoints Rob Akam to managing director role

Australian bike giant Reid have promoted Rob Akam to the role of UK managing director.

Akam joined Reid Cycles in Australia in March 2012, where he quickly became national sales manager, then general manger in the company’s biggest growth period. Here he made the brand a household name in Australia, more than tripling revenues in two years. In May 2014 Akam moved back to the UK to turn the consumer-direct brand into a global brand to be sold through IBDs around the world. Now, three short years later, Reid bikes can be found in over 500 retailers in 17 countries. The business now operates independently from the Australian arm, hence Akam’s appointment by founder James Reid.

Reid said of the appointment: “I am so proud to see our brand that I love and have worked tirelessly on for close to 10 years in so many retailers and in so many countries. This could not have happened without the passionate team Rob has built in the UK, and also the hard work, dedication and investment in the brand that our distributors have all given. The international business is now at a size where we wish to appoint a managing director. After discussions in with the whole SMT, we cannot think of a better person for this than Rob Akam. With his intimate knowledge of the business, his passion for the brand, the love he has for all our distributors, and his ideas for the future, we feel he is very well placed to guide the business for the coming years in this position.”

Akam said of the role: “I’m honoured to have been appointed Managing Director of Reid Cycles UK Ltd and will continue to work hard to continue on the journey I feel we are still early into. I’m immensely proud of what has been achieved so far on the international platform, and must thank our passionate staff for helping us get to where we are right now. But we are still growing, taking on new distributors, and working to improve our processes and supply chain along the way. We’ve got a great team in the UK, and are better resourced than ever before. We must capitalise on this to ensure we offer our distributors and their retailers exceptional service and a diverse and quality product offering. We’re making a few changes operationally at present to ensure that we are in the best shape possible for continued steady growth.”