Germany-based Canyon Bicycles has appointed Matthias Meier as CEO, effective May 1, with a goal of further expanding the traditional direct-to-consumer bike brand to retail accounts. Meier previously spent more than twelve years at bicycle component manufacturer DT Swiss.
At DT Swiss, Meier’s roles included chief sales and marketing officer, VP, and latterly co-CEO. He led DT Swiss’s commercial presence across six subsidiaries on four continents and was the architect of its partnership with Continental and Swiss Side, the multi-year collaboration that produced the AERO 111 wheel-tire system.
DT Swiss has been supplying Canyon for many years.
Meier replaces Roman Arnold, Canyon’s founder who returned to lead the company eight months ago to stabilize operations after the company posted three straight years of losses.
As CEO, Meier assumes full accountability for Canyon’s global operations, commercial execution, and sustainable growth , including the continued development of Canyon’s direct-to-consumer model and its expanding global network of service and experience partners.
Meier said, “The hardest thing in this industry is to build a brand that riders genuinely believe in. Canyon has done that. My job starts from a position that most CEOs never reach — a product that needs no justification and a brand that has never needed to shout. What it needs now is the operational and commercial strength to match its ambition. That is what we are here to build.”
Arnold, who continues as executive chairman and currently holds a 36 percent stake in Canyon, said, “Beyond Matthias’ credentials and deep knowledge of the bicycle industry, he is above all, a bike rider. He has led at DT Swiss with that unique combination. He will lead Canyon into an exciting new chapter.”
In January, Arnold announced a restructuring plan to cut 320 jobs, largely at its headquarters in Koblenz, Germany. The restructuring will cost “at least a mid-single-digit million euro sum and will negatively impact Canyon’s results for the current year,” according to Canyon’s statement.
Canyon noted that according to the financial results filed by its majority shareholder GBL, revenues last year fell 6.5 percent to €738 million, with a net loss of €10 million. According to GBL, this marked Canyon’s third consecutive year of losses.
Canyon said the downward trend “seems to have slowed.” In 2024, Canyon showed a loss of €38 million, partly due to a mountain bike recall. In the fourth quarter of 2025, Canyon was able to increase revenue by 6 percent year-on-year to €145 million. Canyon added in a statement that the first quarter “went well” without providing more details.
Arnold said, “We have established a realistic plan for the year. We want to grow sustainably, and we achieved that in the first quarter.”
As executive chairman, Arnold will focus on product innovation, brand positioning, and the further development of the product portfolio. Growth is planned for e-bikes with a new e-bike facility spanning over 1,200 square meters scheduled to open at Koblenz in June.
Arnold concluded, “Matthias is the right man for the upcoming transformation. He didn’t come here to do the job for just three or four years. Our goal is to be successful together.”
Images courtesy Canyon and Matthias Meier/LinkedIn
