Simon Mottram to depart Rapha CEO role by year end

Rapha Founder Simon Mottram is to depart from the CEO position at the clothing brand by the end of the year, according to an email sent to industry contacts. He will continue to serve on the Board of Directors and “remain very close to the brand.”

“I am convinced that it is the right time for me to step down and for Rapha to have a new CEO with the skills and experience to take advantage of the huge opportunity Rapha faces,” wrote Mottram.

It has been 17 years since Mottram founded the clothing brand, which rose through the ranks to become a sought after premium brand and one that eventually drew the attention of outside investors. In August of 2017 an investment firm (RZC Investments) created by two of Walmarts’ Billionaire partners took ownership of Rapha following a bidding war.

Since then the brand has undergone a significant restructuring to drive profitability following a period here the brand’s losses were mounting.

The label remains prominent in the upper-tiers of professional road cycling, found adorned to the men’s team EF Education-Nippo and women’s cycling squad Canyon-SRAM.

Mottram will now be replaced by a former CEO of fashion label AllSaints, as well as brand leader for the likes of Gucci, Burberry and Abercrombie and Fitch. William Kim takes on Simon’s duties having most recently led the retail and digital commerce of Samsung Mobile.

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