53.8 F
Laguna Hills
Tuesday, Mar 19, 2024
-Advertisement-

O’Neill’s Gibson to Head Rip Curl

There is a pair of new chiefs at two of Orange County’s bigger surfwear makers.

Kelly Gibson, former chief executive of O’Neill Clothing in Irvine, resigned his post to take the top spot at Costa Mesa-based Rip Curl USA.

Gibson is replacing Rip Curl’s current boss David Lawn starting on Nov. 6. Both declined to comment on the move.

Gibson is set to help Australian-based Rip Curl get more aggressive in the U.S.

Last year, the company, which makes wetsuits, clothes and more, doubled its size and relocated its headquarters from Carlsbad to a 70,000-square-foot building in Costa Mesa. It employs about 70 people here.

Lawn had moved from Australia last year to revamp Rip Curl’s U.S. operations, which had seen trouble with quality, delivery and consistency of its clothes and other products.

Changes included overhauling management and adding executives to oversee new pushes, such as global marketing and girls’ clothes.

Lawn said in a statement he will return to Melbourne and pursue another career.

Meanwhile, O’Neill named former chief operating officer, Toby Bost, as its new chief executive, replacing Gibson.

Bost joined O’Neill in 1999 as vice president of manufacturing. He will also oversee O’Neill sibling brands, Lost Clothing and Metal Mulisha Clothing, also in Irvine.

Bost has some tough shoes to fill.

Gibson had led O’Neill Clothing on a tear, helping build it into one of the larger surfwear makers with an estimated $75 million in yearly sales.

O’Neill employs about 150 people.

Want more from the best local business newspaper in the country?

Sign-up for our FREE Daily eNews update to get the latest Orange County news delivered right to your inbox!

-Advertisement-

Featured Articles

-Advertisement-
-Advertisement-
-Advertisement-
-Advertisement-

Related Articles

-Advertisement-
-Advertisement-