Amsterdam-based e-bike manufacturer VanMoof, announced on Tuesday that it has appointed Gillian Tans as President, a major new hire for the company. Tans takes up the new position with immediate effect.
Who is Gillian Tans?
Gillian Tans is a Dutch businesswoman and former CEO of Booking.com, an Amsterdam-based online accommodation booking platform. During her 20-year tenure, Tans oversaw the expansion of the Dutch startup to become the world’s leading online travel agency. She is known as one of the best operators in the tech industry as well as a strong advocate for diversity. Besides, she has also been cited as one of the most inspirational women in the Dutch tech sector.
At VanMoof, Tans will help realise the company’s vision of making electric biking the default transport choice for moving around cities worldwide. In her new role as President, she will lead the company’s management team and oversee business operations to further solidify VanMoof’s position as the breakthrough leader in today’s growing mobility category.
Speaking on the development, Gillian Tans says, “Born and raised on a bike, I’ve seen first hand how riding opens cities up. As a dedicated VanMoof rider myself, I’ve been following Taco and Ties’ journey over the years and I’m thrilled to play a part in scaling this brand at such an exciting moment.”
VanMoof, which was founded by brothers Taco and Ties Carlier with a vision to create the perfect city bike, have been working closely alongside Tans since she first invested in the company several years ago. Over the years, the brothers have developed a deep respect for Tans’ managerial and executive expertise, says the company in a press release.
According to a statement, her appointment will allow the Carlier brothers – who remain Co-CEOs – to focus on long-term strategy. Ties will remain focused on product innovation, while Taco will dedicate to the scale-up’s global corporate strategy.
Expansion of management expertise
The company’s decision to introduce the role of President is the result of many months of operational planning and marks the next phase of VanMoof’s growth. Tans’ experience combines years at the highest executive level, building ‘world-class’ teams and scaling global operations – factors that will be crucial in the next stage of VanMoof’s growth, says the company.
Taco Carlier says, “We’re very excited to have Gillian join us. She’s been an incredibly valuable mentor to me and Ties over the years. It’s great that we can now build VanMoof’s next chapter together. How we scale is as important as how we develop our product. Deepening our leadership with Gillian expertly sets VanMoof up to realise our ambitious goals in this next chapter for the company.”
“The next generation of electric riding”
VanMoof was founded by Dutch brothers Taco and Ties Carlier in 2009 with a vision to create the perfect city bike. The company develops and designs urban e-bikes, and also offers different digital devices like anti-theft systems, intelligent motor, and automatic electronic gear shifting that enable commuters and office goers to travel with a sustainable mode of transportation.
VanMoof brand stores can be found in Amsterdam, Berlin, London, New York, Paris, San Francisco, Seattle, and Tokyo, with expansion planned to 50 cities worldwide through dedicated Service Hubs by the end of 2022.
Last month, the e-bike manufacturer announced its latest generation of e-bikes, VanMoof S5 and A5. The e-bikes feature a silent and powerful motor, long-range battery, and anti-theft technology. The announcement came six months after announcing a high-speed e-bike, dubbed VanMoof V.