Rip Curl CEO to leave

By

Bruno Joly

Published
Jan 14, 2013

Olivier Cantet will leave his position of CEO at Rip Curl by no later than 30 June, the closing date of the company’s financial year. The information has been confirmed by Rip Curl’s European headquarters.

After positions at Europe 1 and the Lafuma group, Olivier Cantet began his time at Rip Curl in 2003. Cantet’s right-hand man, Baptiste Caulonque, left the company in the spring for a position at Oxbox, a subsidiary of the Lafuma group.

Officially, Olivier Cantet will leave once the group’s reorganization been completed and investment discussions have ended. Brian Singer will look after the company on a global scale while a replacement for Cantet is found. The executive committee will take the reins for Europe. According to our sources, Rip Curl is looking to promote from within to fill the position of CEO. The position could go to Wilco Prins. “Prins is head of the Core division, which follows a similar strategy to that which Olivier Cantet introduced in December,” an insider commented. The Core division involves running the Rip Curl surf shops as well as the marketing related to the brands sporting events.