George Blankenship, who led, developed and brought to life the first stores for Apple and Tesla, will be responsible for Verge Motorcycles’ international brand centres and will lead in developing the customer journey. “I see the same potential in Verge today as I saw in Apple two decades ago and Tesla one decade ago”
Credit: Verge Motorcycles
Electric superbike manufacturer Verge Motorcycles has appointed respected business and retail visionary George Blankenship as its new Chief Revenue Officer. With a career spanning more than 40 years, Blankenship is known for developing acclaimed retail strategies for world-renowned brands such as software and computer maker Apple and electric car manufacturer Tesla. Blankenship will be responsible for developing Verge Motorcycles’ customer interface and customer journey, as well as its global store strategy.
“Motorcycles have been manufactured with the same underlying format for the past 150 years. At Verge, I was particularly inspired by its boldness to shake old habits. Verge has literally reinvented the wheel to better serve both their riders and the environment. I see the same potential in Verge today as I did in Apple two decades ago and Tesla one decade ago when we took a big step forward to completely redefine their industries,” says Blankenship.
Verge, which is scaling up its international business, can now call on Blankenship’s expertise and extensive understanding of the customer experience.
“George is known for the fact that no matter where he goes, he revolutionises the prevailing operating methods in the industry. We want Verge’s stores to be in exactly the right places in terms of brand awareness and sales. George's holistic vision, excellent networks and industry experience will make this possible,” says Verge CTO Marko Lehtimäki.
Head-turning showrooms to present the Verge lifestyle
Brick-and-mortar stores will play an important role for Verge as a manufacturer of luxury motorcycles, even though at the moment most orders come through the online store. The stores, which function primarily as showrooms and brand centres, will offer not only test rides but also impressive experiences that arouse people’s interest and attract them to become part of Verge’s community and lifestyle.
“In addition to a central and easily accessible location, successful stores must offer something unprecedented that creates added value for consumers and engages them. The goal is to open head-turning Verge stores by next summer both in major European cities and the United States,” says Blankenship. “We intend to surprise and delight with our innovative approach,” he adds.
“A company's commercial success is influenced not only by an excellent product but also by the customer experience. George has proven time and again how to successfully engage people as part of a companies’ brand and the lifestyle built around it. We want Verge to become, like Tesla, globally renowned and a pioneer in its field,” says Lehtimäki.
The Verge brand centre journey commenced to great critical acclaim in Monaco earlier this year and significant global openings are planned for 2024 and beyond.