KMD Brands, the company that owns Rip Curl (surfing sportswear), Kathmandu (outdoor apparel), and Oboz (footwear), has announced the appointment of Brent Scrimshaw as its new group CEO and managing director, effective 24th March. This change in leadership comes as outgoing CEO Michael Daly prepares to step down on 25th March, with a transition period planned until 4th April.
Scrimshaw, a seasoned sports apparel executive, brings extensive experience to the role. He has served as a director of KMD Brands since 2017 and held the position of global CEO at marketing services company Enero since 2020. His career also includes 19 years at Nike, where he held senior leadership positions such as vice president, EMEA brand marketing and core category business, and vice president and chief executive of Western Europe.
In his new role, Scrimshaw will be based in Melbourne, Australia. He expressed enthusiasm for the opportunity to deepen consumer connections through innovative products and enhance the unique identities of KMD Brands’ iconic brands. He emphasised his commitment to collaborating with the company’s teams to drive the next phase of growth.
Michael Daly’s departure was initially announced in October of the previous year. Shortly after, Brooke Farris also resigned from her position as CEO of Rip Curl, following three years in that role.
