Thor Industries, Inc. promoted Ryan Biren to the newly created executive officer position of Chief Information Officer.
Thor said the appointment underscores the company’s decisive commitment to advancing its enterprise data, digital and artificial intelligence strategies.
Biren joined Thor in February 2024 as Vice President of Corporate Development. Prior to that, he served as senior vice president with Camping World Holdings.
In his new role, Thor President and CEO Bob Martin said Biren will lead the company’s North American IT, data, analytics, IT controls and digital platform strategy.
The mandate given to Biren is to unlock enterprise-wide value from data, accelerate AI-driven innovation and strengthen Thor’s competitive advantage in an increasingly digital marketplace.
“This is more than a title change, it is an important strategic step for Thor to take,” Martin said. “Data, analytics and AI are central to the next era of value creation at Thor. Elevating the CIO role to the executive leadership team reflects how seriously we are investing in these capabilities to power smarter decisions, stronger operating performance and differentiated customer experiences.”
Thor said under Biren’s leadership, the company has built and deployed a robust enterprise data platform now serving all operating companies, including its European operations.
With the CIO role now formalized, Thor said it is accelerating into its next phase.
That next phase includes scaling AI-enabled analytics across brands and regions, advancing predictive market intelligence capabilities, expanding digital dealer and customer experiences, strengthening enterprise cybersecurity and data governance and reducing system friction and duplication across the organization.
“This appointment positions Thor to compete — and win — in a marketplace where intelligent use of data increasingly defines performance,” Martin said. “We are building enterprise intelligence as a strategic asset, and Ryan’s leadership ensures we execute with urgency and discipline.”
Thor said its companies have built strong and independent technology foundations that support its decentralized operating model. An updated reporting structure now includes functional reporting of operating company IT leaders to Biren.
Thor Industries Chief Operating Officer Todd Woelfer said the reporting structure is designed to harmonize enterprise standards, strengthen interoperability and accelerate cross-brand digital initiatives while preserving the autonomy that “drives Thor’s entrepreneurial culture.”
“Looking ahead, Thor is making the deliberate investments necessary to fully unlock the value of our enterprise data and digital capabilities,” Woelfer said. “The potential impact on our operations is transformative. From how we recruit and develop talent to how we build, sell and support our products, data and AI will redefine our operating discipline and create measurable advantages across the entire value chain.”
Woelfer said the objective of enabling its companies to be stronger partners to independent dealers is simple but powerful.
“By driving efficiency, visibility and smarter decision-making throughout the entire value chain,” Woelfer said, “we are creating structural advantages that will benefit our dealers, our retail customers and our shareholders alike.”
