Emmanuel Debrueres is behind one of the most uplifting stories of the European surf industry in the past few years: the take-over, or rather « rebirth » of Oxbow. It was an ambitious bet, fed by over 25 years of experience in Action Sports and an unwavering passion for the industry and its brands in general.

Originally from the Alps, Emmanuel began his career in the communications department at Val-Thorens before moving on to Salomon and later Rossignol, two iconic French Action Sports brands. No surprise there.

A desire to go into apparel, and to get closer to the waves, brought him to Soorts and Billabong, which would later lead him to join DaKine, recently purchased by GSM. Starting as head of the European branch, he soon added on another role, and not the least: Global marketing VP.

After two very intense years spent between France and the US, Emmanuel decided to leave the group to pursue a project he’d had in mind for a while: to take over a brand himself. It turned out to be Oxbow. The name came with history and solid heritage but the brand had lost its image, momentum and was in dire need of « dusting off ».

At our mike, Emmanuel tells us step by step about his incredible entrepreneurial adventure, from finding investors to repositioning the brand. He also discusses the desire to design reliable technical products and « Made in France », the brand’s content-based marketing and how they recruit inspirational ambassadors.

This episode is an enthralling interview in which Emmanuel shares his insightful vision of the Action sports market and discusses its challenges as well as the opportunities still up for grabs. A podcast that will surely be of interest to brand managers and aspiring creators alike… and maybe even to those looking for a take-over.

Enjoy the ride.

You can also listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcast et Deezer.