George Blankenship, the retail guru behind Apple and Tesla's first stores, has been appointed Chief Revenue Officer by electric superbike manufacturer Verge Motorcycles.
With a career spanning over 40 years, Blankenship is known for developing acclaimed retail strategies for world-renowned brands.
In his new role, he assumes responsibility for developing the manufacturer's customer interface and customer journey, as well as global store strategy.
I see the same potential in Verge today as I did in Apple two decades ago and Tesla a decade ago
“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 a decade ago when we took a big step forward to completely redefine their industries,” says Blankenship.
“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.
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.
Blankenship says: “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.
We intend to surprise and delight with our innovative approach.
“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,” adds Lehtimäki.
The goal is to open head-turning Verge stores by next summer both in major European cities and the United States.
After receiving critical acclaim for its brand centre in Monaco, Verge says it plans 'significant' new global openings in 2024 and beyond.
