Long-running Nike executive Ashley Reade (pictured right) is set to take on the chief executive officer role at Aussie surfing brand Rip Curl.
The brand’s parent company KMD Brands confirmed the news in a trading update to the Australian Stock Exchange, adding Reade will join the group in the coming months and will sit on the KMD Brands executive team, reporting to group CEO Brent Scrimshaw (pictured left).
Reade has built his retail career at Nike for the last 20 years, where he grew to be the vice president and GM of Nike’s Asia Pacific market which, alongside Latin America, made US$6.7 billion for the US 2024 financial year.
Overall, Nike’s revenues for 2024 were US$21.3 billion (~A$33.89 billion).
At Nike, Reade held leadership positions at the WorldHeadquarters in Portland, Oregon, overseeing global sales for women’s sportswear and men’s training.
Prior to this, he was based in Shanghai, China, where he was responsible for teams that oversaw the strategic account portfolio – including two of the top five global retail partners.
“Ashley has a proven track record of fostering deep consumer connections, building world-class teams, and driving outstanding growth,” Scrimshaw said. “I’m thrilled to welcome him to KMD Brands and look forward to a partnership that will elevate Rip Curl to be the number 1 surf brand worldwide.”
Reade said joining Rip Curl in 2025 is a career-defining moment.
“Having spent the last 20 years celebrating sport and its central role in the lives of customers worldwide, I’m excited to bring that same passion to surfing and the lifestyle it represents.”
Reade grew up in Victoria and spent his summers surfing near where Rip Curl was founded.
The incoming CEO will take on from Brooke Farris, who abruptly stepped down from the lead role at Rip Curl in October last year.
In a press release last year, Farris said after 14 years, the time felt right for a break and new opportunities. Her resignation came two weeks after Michael Daly announced his plans to step down as KMD Brands’ group CEO, with his role taken over by Scrimshaw.