EQUIP OUTDOOR

Company background

Equip Outdoor Technologies specialises in the design and marketing of technical outdoor equipment and owns the Rab and Lowe Alpine brands. Headquartered in Derbyshire, it has international offices in Europe, the US and Asia. The business has been backed by Mobeus Equity Partners since 2011.

Equip has been hugely successful over recent years with revenues increasing to c. £100m and employee numbers rising to more than 220. Additionally, as part of its long-term sustainability strategy, it has been a climate neutral company since 2020 and aims to be a ‘Net Zero’ company by 2030.

The brief

To help drive Equip Outdoor through its next stage of ambitious growth, the business required a commercial, resilient finance expert from a £100m+ revenue international company with a proven track record of driving a strong growth agenda – formulating strategies, recommended paths and investments in a thriving sector.

Having successfully worked with Equip’s Chair previously, Directorbank’s George Heppenstall and Faye Middleton were chosen to fill the role.

The process

To support the future success and international growth of the business it was essential to identify a proven, PE-experienced CFO with a deep understanding of consumer brands to join the Board. Following an exhaustive research-led process to qualify the relevant market, Rob Maynard was identified and ultimately selected for the role.

Result

Rob is no stranger to the outdoor industry having previously held finance directorships at Pentland Brands (the name behind some of the world’s best sports, outdoor and lifestyle brands including Berghaus, Endura and Speedo) and Inov-8, a pioneering footwear, clothing and equipment brand for off-road runners, athletes and hikers.