KMD Brands, the parent company of Rip Curl, Oboz, and Kathmandu, said incoming Group CEO Brent Scrimshaw will start his new job March 24 and will work out of the company’s offices in Melbourne, Australia.
Outgoing Group CEO Michael Daly, who worked for Rip Curl for more than 20 years before rising to the top of KMD, will step down March 25. He’ll work in a transitionary period with Scrimshaw until April 4.
“I’m energized by the opportunity that lies ahead as I step into the Group CEO role,” Scrimshaw said in a statement. “Having spent 30 years building brands around the world, I’m excited to enable a strategic focus on deepening our consumer connections through bold and innovative product, all while amplifying the unique identity of our iconic brands. I look forward to collaborating with our talented teams to unlock KMD Brands’ next phase of growth.”
Scrimshaw has been a director of KMD Brands since 2017 and Global CEO of listed marketing services company, Enero, since 2020. Before that, Brent had a 19-year executive career across three continents with Nike Inc., including roles such as vice president, EMEA brand marketing and core category business and vice president and chief executive of Western Europe.
Daly is leaving KMD on his own accord, and told the company in October that he was resigning.
A few weeks later, former Rip Curl CEO Brooke Farris also stepped down after three years leading the Australia-based surfwear brand, according to parent company KMD Brands.
Rip Curl is still on the hunt for a new CEO. Currently KMD Chief Commercial Officer Lachlan Farran is serving as Interim Rip Curl CEO, according to the KMD website.
Daly worked as Rip Curl’s CFO and COO before coming CEO in 2013. He led the company before and after the sale to what was then Kathmandu Holdings, which acquired Rip Curl in the fall of 2019 for A$350 million (US$236 million). In 2021, Daly was named CEO of the Kathmandu. In 2022, the company changed its name to KMD Brands.
