September 19, 2025 - Former Stromer Co-CEO, Tomi Viiala, and François-Henri Bennahmias, former CEO of watch brand Audemars Piguet, two visionaries from entirely different worlds, have launched Viiala Bike, a Swiss-based mobility company, aiming to reinvent the e-bike with radical new technology and high performance.
Viiala Bike wants to challenge and disrupt the cycling industry, “…and redefine what cycling stands for, and what an e-bike can be—with radical technology, uncompromising performance, and a price tag reaching new dimensions.”
With R&D hubs in Switzerland and Dubai, and engineered with 95% of components sourced from Europe and the USA, the company plans to assemble in Europe with the first models ready in 2028. Both Europe and the USA will also be target markets for Viiala Bikes.
Named after one of the co-founders, the new company will be based in Nyon, Switzerland. “I didn’t want the brand to be about me,” said Tomi Viiala, who exited Stromer back in October 2024. “But François insisted that tying a name to a person makes it more powerful. We both liked the sound of it—simple, universal, and free of any negative connections.”
Viiala Bike is also part of The Honourable Merchants Group (THMG) launched in September 2025 by Bennahmias who had a highly successful career at Audemars Piguet, where he drove significant growth increasing annual sales from roughly 600 million to 2.35 billion Swiss francs.
THMG is built around “…a constellation of companies, each representing a distinct sector of the luxury industry, operating under a shared code of conduct that emphasizes integrity, responsibility and long-term value creation, ensuring growth is measured not only in financial performance but also in cultural and human impact.”
To achieve their goals the new company has brought on board the expertise of Humna Khan, CEO of Astro Test Labs, with NASA and Space-X credentials, as their Chief Innovation Advisor.
“I am so proud and thankful to have her but as well all the other team members we already have from over 20 nationalities in our internal and external teams to create Viiala bike,” commented Tomi Viiala.
According to Viiala Bike it’s first model “enters a new, untapped price point above today’s market. More than an e-bike, it is a statement of possibility — where engineering, aesthetics, and purpose converge to create the ultimate riding experience for the cities of today and the roads of tomorrow.”
High ticket e-bikes are part of Tomi Viiala’s DNA, as ex-Stromer Co-CEO, where models broke the €10,000 threshold.
The mission of Viiala Bike is to break away from the conventional mindset of the bicycle industry. “Our goal is nothing short of a revolution. Our competition isn’t other bike brands—it’s every other option you could take and still choose to bike.”
Read more on LinkedIN here.
