American Brian Gillen has left his job as R&D Technical Director at MV Agusta Motorcycles after 17 years with the Italian company and has accepted a position as Chief Technical Officer of Norton Motorcycles. He will continue to be based in Italy and will oversee Norton tech centers located in the U.K. and in India, where the current owners of the iconic, formerly British brand are located.

Gillen posted this announcement on his Facebook page:

“As I write this post my heart is filled with a mix of emotions – gratitude, nostalgia, and excitement for the future. After 17 remarkable years, the time has come for me to bid farewell to this incredible journey with MV Agusta.

“It has been an honor and privilege to be a part of such an iconic brand, one that symbolizes innovation, craftsmanship, and the relentless pursuit of design and engineering excellence. From the very beginning, MV Agusta has been more than just a workplace for me; it has been a source of personal inspiration.

“Reflecting on the past 17 years, I am immensely proud of the milestones we achieved together. Our collaborative efforts brought forth iconic motorcycles that captivated the hearts of motorcycle enthusiasts worldwide. The relentless passion and dedication of the MV Agusta and CRC teams has been the driving force behind our success, and I am grateful for all the experiences we’ve shared and enormous obstacles that we have overcome, together.

“Together, we created Motorcycle Art.

“I would like to express my deepest gratitude to each member of the MV Agusta, CRC and Pierer Mobility family. Your passion and enthusiasm is the fuel driving the future success of MV, and I am confident that the future holds even greater achievements for the brand and entire MV family.

“Wishing MV Agusta, CRC and Pierer Mobility continued success, growth, and prosperity!”