Shimano restructures European group bringing bike, fishing and fit divisions under one company

Shimano has moved to consolidate and simplify its business operations, bringing its European bike, fishing and bikefitting.com divisions under one centralised company.

The three companies – Shimano Europe B.V., Shimano Europe Fishing Holding B.V. and bikefitting.com B.V. – have been merged into Shimano Europe Holding B.V., which has also been renamed Shimano Europe B.V.

Coinciding with these changes, two new members will join Shimano Europe’s board from Shimano’s executives. These are Taizo Shimano (Executive Vice President, Supervisor of Fishing Tackle Div. and Chief of Marketing, Bicycle Components Div.) and Hiroshi Matsui (Senior Vice President, Business Administration Dept. General Operations Div.).

Taizo Shimano joined Shimano in 1991, serving his apprenticeship in bicycle and fishing positions overseas before progressing to management positions in Shimano Inc.’s Fishing division.

Hiroshi Matsui joined Shimano in 2011 as VP of Corporate Administration, progressing to Director of General Operations Division, prior to taking his current position as Senior Vice President.

At the same time current board member Yoshihiro Hirata will step down. Marc van Rooij and Satoshi Yuasa will remain members of the board.

Day to day a newly-formed Executive Committee will lead the company. Frank Peiffer joined the Executive Committee as VP Bike of the Shimano Europe Group, while Arjen Vinke has been appointed as managing director of Shimano’s European sales offices. The tasks of Marc van Rooij (President Shimano Europe) and Cor Ax (Managing Director Fishing Tackle Division) will not change in the Executive Committee.

Furthermore, Thom van Egmond joined Shimano Europe in the position of Chief Finance Officer in the Executive Committee of the company on 1st January 2018. He has been working at leading consumer goods company Unilever for 22 years, having spent 16 years at Unilever offices in Singapore, Italy and Morocco, holding senior functions in finance, supply chain and change management.

Board member changes will also take place at Rapala Shimano Eastern Europe with Taizo Shimano also becoming a board member here, replacing resigning board member Satoshi Yuasa.