A rotor as disclosed for an electric machine which includes a rotor core having a plurality of rotor sheets stacked in an axial direction, each of the plurality of rotor sheets having a plurality of flux paths made of a material of high permeance, a plurality of flux barriers made of a material of low permeance, a plurality of bridges made of a material of high permeance, each of the plurality of bridges extending across a corresponding flux barrier, and at least one axial magnet located axially adjacent a corresponding bridge and configured to saturate the corresponding bridge, each axial magnet being axially pressed between two elements at least one of which is a bridge corresponding to the axial magnet.