Kathmandu’s parent company KMD Brands has appointed Carla Webb-Sear as the new group chief financial officer.
Webb-Sear will join the group executive team in the first week of August and report to group CEO and managing director Brent Scrimshaw.
The new hire is a seasoned ASX-listed executive, moving into the apparel lifestyle business from Australian airline Qantas, where she was chief financial and strategy officer of the loyalty division.
According to KMD Brands, Webb-Sear brings over two decades of financial leadership across consumer, media and technology sectors, with expertise in driving transformative outcomes in complex, matrixed global organisations, including ViacomCBS, Enero Group and Fairfax.
“After an extensive global search, I’m thrilled to welcome Carla Webb-Sear to KMD Brands,” Scrimshaw said. “Carla’s expertise and proven track record of unlocking value, agile transformation and disciplined financial management will be invaluable as we navigate a dynamic global market.
“I look forward to partnering with Carla to deliver long-term value for shareholders.”
Scrimshaw also thanked Ben Washington for his contributions while serving as interim CFO. With Carla’s commencement, he will resume his position as deputy CFO.
Webb-Sear welcomed the new role, saying this comes at a pivotal time in the group’s journey. The company has been battling subdued consumer spending as well as challenges in wholesale for its Rip Curl and Oboz Footwear brands.
A trading update in mid-June this year showed Kathmandu suffered a 6 per cent sales slip in the second half of FY25, which improved in June as winter set in. Sales at Oboz remained down across the year, while Rip Curl sales remained slightly up in positive territory.
“There’s a clear opportunity to drive transformative growth and deliver impactful results across the portfolio,” Webb-Sear said. “I’m looking forward to working closely with the Board and Executive Team to accelerate the Group’s global strategy.”
The new group CFO will relocate from Sydney to Melbourne, where the group’s global headquarters are. Her formal start date with the group is Monday, August 4.