Andy Mooney, a former Nike and Disney executive, will become the Quiksilver group's new president and chief executive from Jan. 11. He will succeed Bob McKnight, the American board sports company's co-founder, who has been named executive chairman. Mooney will also join Quiksilver's board of directors later this week.

The newcomer at Quiksilver spent the last 11 years at Disney Consumer Products (DCP), supervising the company's global licensing, publishing and retail businesses. Quiksilver pointed to Mooney's track record in building up international consumer brands, and it was particularly impressed that DCP's retail sales tripled to $36 billion under his tenure. The 57-year-old executive most recently served as chairman of DCP.

However, Mooney is best known in the sporting goods industry for the two decades he spent at Nike. Among other functions with the American sports behemoth, he was chief financial officer of Nike U.K., general manager of the brand's global apparel business, and chief marketing officer. Mooney was also described as the founder of Nike's equipment business unit.

McKnight was warmly praised for his contribution to the rise of Quiksilver from a small boardshorts company, established in 1976, to a multibillion-dollar global board sports group. He served as the Quiksilver group's president from 1979 until July 1991, and as its chairman and CEO since August that year.

He took on the title of group president again in 2008 after the resignation of Bernard Mariette, who had masterminded iacquisition of Rossignol, the French ski company.

Rossignol was acquired by a consortium led by the Macquarie investment group at the end of 2008 for €40 million. According to an unconfirmed report, Macquarie is now considering a possible sale of its share in Rossignol to unnamed strategic investors, requesting a valuation of at least €50 million.

McKnight, who is now 59 years old, is relinquishing the role of CEO after managing the group's recovery from the ill-fated acquisition of Rossignol and its return to sustained expansion with its Quiksilver, Roxy and DC brands. McKnight was actively involved in the search for a new president and CEO, a process that apparently took almost an entire year. He said he would work together with Mooney to ensure a smooth transition.