Deborah Palmer Keiser has been appointed global chief operating officer at Boardriders Inc. | Photo courtesy of LinkedIn
SWIM/SURF
Boardriders Inc. Appoints New Global Chief Operating Officer
Boardriders Inc., the company that designs, produces and distributes apparel under the brands Billabong, DC Shoes, Element, Quicksilver, ROXY, RVCA and VonZipper, has announced the appointment of Deborah Palmer Keiser as global chief operating officer.
Keiser previously worked for All Saints, Gap, Victoria’s Secret and Williams-Sonoma, and among others. She was most recently the president at the outdoor-travel-bag company Timbuk2.
In her new role, Keiser will oversee Boardriders’ end-to-end global planning and sourcing. She will also work to improve distribution and logistics efficiency and transform the company’s global supply chain with an emphasis on the company’s speed-to-market program.
“I’m excited to join the Boardriders team and support the operational goals of the company at this pivotal stage in the company’s growth. The COVID-19 pandemic has created a difficult environment for many business operations, but demand for outdoor lifestyle products remains incredibly strong. I am confident the Boardriders brands, with their rich history and reputation for high-end performance products, will continue to thrive,” Keiser said.
Keiser will begin her new role Dec. 13 at the company’s global headquarters in Huntington Beach, Calif., where she will work closely with Chief Executive Officer Arne Arens and his team. She is expected to begin international travel in January to meet global teams. Colin Smith, a partner and leader at Oaktree Capital, has been the acting COO and will help Keiser transition into the new role.
In November, the company appointed Brad Blankinship as global general manager at Quicksilver and David Brooks as global general manager at RVCA. Both report directly to Shannon North, president of commercial strategy and growth and chief brand officer.
