Ducati Motor Holding CEO, Claudio Domenicali has been awarded an Honorary Investor Advisor (HIA) position within the Thai government’s Board of Investment (BOI).

The appointment came during a Bangkok meeting that included Dr. Somkid Jatusripitak, Deputy Prime Minister. Mr Domenicali later went on with all HIA members to a courtesy visit with General Prayut Chan-o-Cha, the Prime Minister of Thailand.

Prior to visiting the prime minister at Government House, Mr Domenicali, accompanied by Ducati Motor Thailand GM, Gabriele Piaggio, attended a BOI meeting to discuss Thailand’s current strategies on foreign investment. 

“Ducati’s vision to build a factory here in Thailand has been strategic to our plans for global growth and the BOI’s support has been invaluable,” said Mr. Domenicali.

“I am very proud to receive the position of Honorary Investment Advisor here at the Thai BOI and equally proud of the quality and efficiency achieved in our Ducati Motor Thailand facility. As part of the Volkswagen-Audi Group, Ducati is committed to delivering the same excellent ownership experience in Asia as we do throughout the world,” he said.

The project to build the Ducati Motor Thailand factory, situated approximately 150km south of Bangkok in the industrial district of Rayong, started in 2010 in close agreement with the Thai BOI and started first production of the Ducati Monster in 2011. Now, the plant, which covers 45,000 square metres and employs 200 people, builds almost the entire Ducati range of premium motorcycles for delivery throughout Asia and will further increase its production this year by 15%.

In 2016, the iconic Italian manufacturer delivered 55,451 motorcycles worldwide, representing an increase of 1.2% over the previous year and the seventh consecutive year of positive sales growth. Asia (excluding Japan and Australia) accounted for approximately 11 percent of Ducati’s global sales.

Ducati sales rise in India
In India, Ducati India registered an 18% increase in sales during 2016, passing the first significant milestone of 1,000 Ducatis sold in India. This year, Ducati India plans to launch five new models. With the addition of the new models and a growing dealership network, the company sold 580 motorcycles in 2016. Having expanded its network now to five dealerships including Bangalore, Pune, and Ahmedabad, the brand is continuing to grow.

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