Special Guest

When a client visits one of our stores, they take a 15 minute holiday
Olivier Cantet - Managing Director RIP CURL Europe

Just the mention of the name Rip Curl, the famous surf and ski brand, evokes very strong images of a particular sports lifestyle. Founded in 1969 by two surfing afficionados, Rip Curl is an international sports and lifestyle brand for 15 - 25 year olds.

From Paris’ 8th district to the Alps and the Atlantic
Olivier Cantet has led Rip Curl’s European strategy for the last 5 years. After leaving business school in 1987, this accomplished sportsman joined the communication team for leading French radio broadcaster, Europe 1, where he remained for 10 years. «At the time, I wanted to combine my career with my passion for mountaineering». So he left Paris for Annecy where he managed a specialist retailer in mountaineering and snowboarding clothing and equipment called Millet. Olivier Cantet was in his element, climbing 7000m high summits in the Andes and hiking in Maghreb and Patagonia. The Alpine leader ascended to the position of Managing Director for Millet’s parent company, Lafuma Group. And in 2002, he was approached by Rip Curl, whose founders wanted to step back from the operational side of the business. «What interested me about this role, aside from working with such a renowned brand, was the challenge of working closely with the retail store network».