Tony Grimaldi (businessman)
Tony Grimaldi (born 27 February 1966) in Köping, Sweden, is a Swedish engineer, business executive, and President and CEO of Cycleurope.[1][2] Since 2018, Grimaldi has served as the Chairman of the Board of Cycling Industries Europe (CIE), headquartered in Brussels, Belgium.[3]
Biography
Tony Grimaldi received his Diploma in Science in Mechanical Engineering from KTH Royal Institute of Technology in 1990 and continued his studies at the Stockholm School of Economics, from which he graduated in 1996 with a Master of Business Administration.[2]
Grimaldi began his CEO career at A.G. Johansons Metallfabrik in 1994. In 1996, he began his career within the Grimaldi Industri group, working initially as Operations Manager for several engineering companies. The following year, he became CEO and chairman of F.I.V.E. Bianchi S.p.A, Italy, where he worked until 2010. Under Grimaldi’s leadership, the Mercatone Uno–Bianchi cycling team was formed, winning the 1998 Giro d’Italia and the 1998 Tour de France with Italian rider Marco Pantani. That same year, Grimaldi and Bianchi introduced one of the first electrically assisted bicycles in Europe, in collaboration with Yamaha Motor Company. Grimaldi was also the initiator of Team Bianchi, which was formed in 2003 with German cyclist Jan Ullrich on the team.[2]
Between 2006 and 2011, Grimaldi served as CEO of Cycleurope France SA, France, where he began a collaboration with the French postal service La Poste, which was in the process of replacing its smaller fossil fuel-powered delivery vehicles with electrically assisted bicycles. The French business underwent extensive restructuring and launched a line of electric bikes under the French brand Gitane.[4]
Since 2010, Grimaldi has been President and CEO of Cycleurope, which is part of Grimaldi Industri AB.[5] As CEO of Cycleurope, Grimaldi, together with En Svensk Klassiker, was involved in launching Skolklassikern in 2015. Since its inception, Skolklassikern has put over 200,000 children and adolescents in motion by promoting health projects.[6]
In 2013, Grimaldi joined the Cycling Industry Club’s Advisory Board network to support the work of the European Cyclists’ Federation. Together with Kevin Mayne, the CEO of Cycling Industries Europe, Grimaldi developed the network, thus becoming Founding President, into Cycling Industries Europe in 2018, a trade association for companies working in the cycling sector working towards a modal shift to active mobility and cycling in line with European Union’s commitment to become the first climate neutral continent by 2050. CIE was a contributing party in enabling the European Cycling Declaration, an EU initiative with the goal of doubling cycling in Europe. The declaration was ratified by EU transport ministers on 3 April 2024.[7] Furthermore, Tony Grimaldi currently serves as Board member of the World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry (WFSGI), a non-profit organisation who represents the interest of the sporting goods industry while also being the sole world authoritative body for the sports industry, officially recognized by the International Olympic Committee.[8]
Throughout his career, Tony Grimaldi’s core interest has been to improve public health in Europe through increased active mobility, something he described as the e-bike effect.[9]
Grimaldi has been recognised for his efforts to create new Swedish jobs and green jobs by moving Cycleurope’s bicycle production from foreign markets to Cycleurope’s factories in Varberg, Sweden and Vansbro, Sweden.[10][11][12][13][14][15]
Board assignments
- World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry (WFSGI) (Board member)[16]
- Cycling Industries Europe (CIE), Brussels, Belgium (Founding President)[3]
- SaltX Technology Holding AB (Board member 2018-2024)[17]
- Advisory Board of European Cyclists Federation (CIC) (Chairman of the Board, 2014-2018)[18]
- Grimaldi Industri AB (Board member)[19]
- Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences (Board member 2013-2022)[20]
Personal life
Grimaldi is the son of Salvatore Grimaldi, a Swedish entrepreneur and CEO of Grimaldi Industri AB.[21]
References
- ^ "Tony Grimaldi (Stockholm, 57 år)". Merinfo.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 2023-09-21.
- ^ a b c Emdén, Fredrik. ""Leadership is about making choices"". t.teknikforetagen.se. Teknikföretagen. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
- ^ a b "Our team". CIE. Retrieved 2023-09-21.
- ^ "About Grimaldi industri". Grimaldi Industri.
- ^ BikeBiz (2000-04-19). "Goetzmann ousted from Cycleurope". BikeBiz. Retrieved 2023-09-21.
- ^ "Skolklassikern". Skolklassikern (in Swedish). En Svensk Klassiker.
- ^ Musa, Sela (2024-04-03). "Landmark moment as EU Declaration on Cycling signed". Zag Daily. Retrieved 2024-05-15.
- ^ "Members of ECF's Cycling Industry Club found new association: Cycling Industries Europe". ECF. 15 December 2015.
- ^ Frost, Göran; Wagersten, Estrid (29 November 2016). "Varberg starts production of electric bicycles". Sveriges Radio (in Swedish). Sveriges Radio. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
- ^ "Electric cycling replaces car journeys and increases health". Örebronyheter (in Swedish). 12 April 2022. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
- ^ Hågård, Henrik (27 January 2022). "Cooperation agreement for increased bicycle investments concluded in Varberg". Svenska Cycling Plus (in Swedish). Dohi Publishing AB. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
- ^ Gustavsson, Cathrine (27 October 2016). "The king of bicycles gets new energy". Dagens industri (in Swedish). Retrieved 8 June 2023.
- ^ Johnsson, Philip; Magnusson, Fredrik (29 November 2016). "Electric bike boom can bring more jobs to Varberg". SVT Nyheter (in Swedish). Sveriges television. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
- ^ Lindsten, Per Olof (1 September 2020). "The CEO on the bicycle boom: Sales have exploded". Dagens industri (in Swedish). Retrieved 8 June 2023.
- ^ Svensson, Mathilda (2 April 2022). "The bicycle giant is increasing production – despite a component shortage". Dagens industri (in Swedish).
- ^ "About us". WFSGI. Retrieved 2023-09-21.
- ^ "Valberedningen i SaltX Technology föreslår ny ordförande och nya styrelseledamöter inför årsstämman 2024". SaltX Technology (in Swedish). 2024. Retrieved 2024-05-15.
- ^ Oortwijn, Jack (2014-07-17). "Cycling Industry Club Gets Advisory Board". www.bike-eu.com. Retrieved 2023-09-21.
- ^ "Grimaldi Industri Aktiebolag - Befattningshavare". www.allabolag.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 2023-09-21.
- ^ "Ny högskolestyrelse utsedd av regeringen". www.gih.se (in Swedish).
- ^ Wiman, Einar. ""Important to highlight role models"". Motivation.se. Retrieved 9 June 2023.