'Think fit to work smarter'. That could easily be the motto for cycling aficionado Jamie Romanin, who believes the days of (literally) fat-cat CEOs enjoying gluttonous four-hour ‘business lunches’ are well and truly over.

For a start, who has time to be away from their desk or emails for that long nowadays! And secondly, there is a growing belief among executives that a healthy body makes for a healthy mind – and better results in the workplace.

Romanin, who is the managing director at telecoms company ShoreTel in Sydney, insists that’s also one of the reasons that cycling is increasingly replacing golf as the sport of choice for top business leaders.

It used to be the case that deals would be sealed after (more than) a few drinks at the 19th hole after a leisurely round on perfectly coiffured greens. But as time has become more and more precious, and fitness becomes increasingly important, the golf clubs have started to gather dust in the garage while the use of Lycra has skyrocketed.

“I think a lot of the executives in businesses now are very different compared to years gone by,” Romanin says. “There’s a lot of younger people at that level now and they are maybe a lot more interested in their health and fitness. And I think those two things are linked. I know that when I go out and do a 90 minute ride at say 6am in the morning, then when I get to work I am switched on and ready to go.”

Romanin is certainly nothing if not fit. He has previously taken part in full Ironman events, competed regularly in triathlon, raced in crit series, ridden a mountain bike 550km across New Zealand’s South Island and is now trying his hand at cyclocross.

Interestingly, he also used to regularly play golf – but insists the corporate golf days really are becoming a thing of the past.  

“In the past, for business leaders it was all about a long leisurely lunch and plenty of games of golf,” he admits. “But nobody has time for that nowadays. A game of golf takes four or five hours and I think executives in this day and age are just way too busy to take that sort of time out of their schedule.

“I know I used to put on golf days as corporate networking events, and played regularly myself, but I don’t think I’ve done that for about seven years or so. Cycling is becoming more and more popular in that regard. For a CEO or top level executive, they can get up at 6am, go for an hour or 90-minute ride, and then be in the office mentally and physically alert.”

While that early-morning ride could easily be a solo affair, Romanin is a member of the International Cycling Executives (ICE) that is trying to tap into the networking potential of the sport.

It was originally set up as the Australian Cycling Executives in 2010 but has now expanded globally with activities in London, Singapore, San Francisco and Hong Kong – as well as Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide. ICE organises group rides once a month in each location for the C-Suite community - and its growing popularity appears to provide proof that cycling is increasingly the go-to leisure activity for high-powered business leaders.

“The great thing with ICE is that once you are out there on your bike and wearing Lycra then everyone becomes equal!” Romanin explains. “You’re talking about the ride or about cycling and it doesn’t really matter what job you do or who you work for.

"I remember recently on a ride I was chatting to a guy about our bikes and eventually I asked what he did and it turned out he was the CEO of one of the biggest retailers in Australia. There’s a guy that normally I would never get the chance to meet, let alone chat casually with.”

“I think when you are cycling it makes it more relaxed conversation as well because you are out of your shirt and tie and it just makes it less formal," Romanin adds.

“The ICE events are great for networking, although it’s really not a case of going there and trying to tap people up to do deals,” he adds. “It’s much more about getting to know people and then somewhere down the line you may want some information or maybe a bit of advice and you remember meeting someone while riding, or you realise they might know someone who knows someone that could help you. 

"And because they now have cycling groups set up in lots of different places, it means that if you are away on business in those cities you can get in touch with someone who will help you out in terms of organising a ride.”

And if there is a ride on offer, then Romanin will usually be one of the first to put his hand up for it. He qualified for the 2016 UCI Gran Fondo World Championships in Perth, endured the gruelling 2017 Pioneer mountain bike event in New Zealand and previously completed a full Ironman which adds 3.8km of swimming and a 42.2km marathon run to 180km of cycling.

His next challenge was perhaps not quite as daunting, but was especially close to his heart - as he took part in the One Ride event in the Barossa Valley in May in support of the JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) charity.

“My daughter was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes four years ago at the age of just two, so I am a big advocate and active supporter,” Romanin says.

“In fact one of the reasons my riding partner and I did the Pioneer – and I think that was possibly the hardest thing I’ve ever done - was to raise awareness of JDRF and their cause.”