Inside North: How Cedric Georges is steering a watersports icon into a New Era
DISCOVER ORIGINAL PODCAST (FRENCH VERSION) HERE
Cédric Georges, North Actionsports Group CEO for Mordu
A CEO BETWEEN MOUNTAINS AND OCEAN
A few minutes from the beach of Katwijk, in the Netherlands, where riders from across Europe gather whenever the forecasts light up, the green North logo sways above the building like a flag. Inside, designers, marketing teams and team rider managers move between screens and board racks. On some day, a part of the office disappears a bit earlier than usual — to “test” gear, as they say with a smile.
That’s the world that Cédric Georges now leads — a Frenchman from the mountains who leads one of the most mythical names in kitesurfing and foiling industry : North.
For riders of the 2000s, the name North meant Rhino, Rebel, and those wild sessions where you’d launch your kite and get dragged ten metres up the beach to launch your kite.
After some turbulent years marked by the split with Duotone, the pandemic boom and bust, and a generational shift toward foil and wing, North is writing a new chapter. And its CEO is not a waterman by birth, but an outsider with a deep understanding of sports, brands, and passion.
“I come from Annecy, from the mountains,” Cédric says when we sit down in the bright, minimalist meeting room of North’s HQ. “I didn’t grow up by the ocean. But the culture of sport — the obsession with movement, innovation, and performance — that’s something universal. Whether you ride snow or water, the mindset is the same.”
1. From Annecy to the North Sea
Mat: You’re now running one of the most iconic brands in the watersports world. But your background is from the Alps. How did that happen?
Cédric: Honestly, there’s a bit of luck and a lot of passion. My path wasn’t designed to lead to this seat. I started my career at Procter & Gamble, which couldn’t be further from kites and neoprene. But I was always obsessed with sport. I grew up in Annecy, surrounded by mountains, skiing, football, climbing.
I tried to enter the outdoor industry right after business school — Salomon, Nike, all the dream names — and I failed. So I went into FMCG instead, to learn how a big, structured company works. At twenty-five, you don’t know much about life. P&G gave me a masterclass in sales, marketing, and management. Ten years of pure training.
But after a decade selling razors and detergents, I needed to reconnect with something that felt more alive. When the opportunity came with Odlo, a Swiss outdoor brand, it was like opening the door to what I really wanted to do. It was smaller, more human, closer to the product and to the athlete.
Mat: That’s a bold jump — from Geneva corporate life to a niche outdoor brand.
Cédric: It was a huge risk, yes. I divided my salary by two. But it felt right. I wanted to be part of something where I could have impact. I started as Managing Director for France, then took over international sales, then the commercial strategy for all Western Europe. After ten years, I knew the outdoor business inside out.
Mat: So what convinced you to make the next jump — from Odlo to North Actionsports Group?
Cédric: Curiosity again. I wasn’t a kiter, not even a foiler. I had done a bit of wakeboard, some sailing as a kid, but that’s it. But I could see an industry that reminded me of outdoor twenty years ago — passionate people, fragmented brands, tons of creativity, and not enough structure. The challenge was irresistible.
There’s also a symbolic connection between the mountains and the sea. The same spirit of adventure. In outdoor, you learn humility, patience, risk management. In the water, it’s exactly the same. It’s not about ego; it’s about flow, understanding nature’s rhythm.
I had been Chairman of OSV, working to connect outdoor companies and drive sustainability. The team at North saw my background — a mix of brand building, distribution strategy, and authentic connection with sports — and thought it could work. One of their partners reached out and said, “You might be the right guy.”
I hesitated for maybe two minutes (laughs). Opportunities like this, you can’t say no. Leading a brand like North is like inheriting a legacy — but also a mission to take it somewhere new.
“The challenge was irresistible. I saw an industry full of creativity, but in need of structure”
Inside North Actiosports Group with CEO, Cédric Georges
2. Learning the Game: From Odlo to North
The move from Odlo to North wasn’t just a change of company — it was a change of planet.
Mat: When people look at your path, they might think the jump from outdoor to watersports is easy. But it’s not the same universe, right?
Cédric: Not at all. It’s a radical shift. Even within the broader world of sport, the outdoor business and the watersports business operate on completely different scales and logics.
In outdoor, you have global giants — The North Face, Salomon, Patagonia — working with billions in revenue. The supply chain is industrialised, the retailers are structured, and the data flows are there. The watersports industry? It’s passionate and creative, but far smaller, much more fragmented.
Mat: Give me an idea of the scale.
Cédric: In France, the outdoor market is worth around 13 billion euros. The entire watersports segment — kite, wing, foil, surf accessories — probably counts in the hundreds of millions. The biggest outdoor players can do a billion in sales; the biggest kite brands are between 80 and 100 million. So yes, we’re talking about a 1-to-20 ratio.
That’s what makes it fascinating, though. In outdoor, the machine runs almost automatically. In watersports, everything still depends on passion, craftsmanship, relationships with riders and retailers. You can feel the human energy behind every product.
Mat: You arrived as an outsider. People in this industry often come from the water — ex-riders, designers, or shop owners. How do you earn credibility when you come from outside that tribe?
Cédric: You don’t pretend to know everything. You listen. You learn the culture. I spent my first hundred days just visiting shops, riders, agents, listening to what people love and what frustrates them.
I’ve seen too many executives come in with “corporate formulas” that crush the passion. My approach was the opposite: respect the DNA, bring structure without killing the soul.
Mat: What struck you most when you started mapping this market?
Cédric: The fragmentation. Dozens of micro-brands, often family-owned, doing incredible things but lacking scale. Shops that have been on the same beach for 30 years, sometimes still using paper notebooks. It reminded me of the early outdoor scene — passionate pioneers, but limited reach.
At the same time, there’s amazing innovation: new materials, lighter foils, modular boards. The creativity is huge. The question is how to channel that energy, how to make it sustainable — economically and environmentally.
Mat: You mentioned sustainability. You chaired OSV before joining North; does that mindset travel with you into this new environment?
Cédric: Absolutely. You can’t separate performance from responsibility anymore. Riders expect it. Retailers too. The good thing about North is that sustainability isn’t a marketing word — it’s in the brand’s DNA, coming from its sailing roots.
But it’s harder in watersports because volumes are smaller. When you produce 50 000 wetsuits a year, you don’t have the same leverage as when you produce five million jackets. So you need creativity, partnerships, new materials, recycling programmes. It’s a long road.
Mat: It’s interesting, because the way you talk about watersports feels like someone discovering a new culture — not judging it, but fascinated by it.
Cédric: That’s exactly it. I didn’t come to “fix” anything. I came to learn and help it grow. Every industry reaches a point where passion alone isn’t enough; you need systems, data, and strategy. But if you lose the soul, you lose the riders. The challenge is to keep both.
North Actionsports Group HQ in Katwijk am See
3. Taking the Helm at North Actionsports Group
Mat: You took over North in a very particular moment. The post-Covid boom was fading, and the company had gone through something tragic with the passing of its former CEO. That’s not an easy handover.
Cédric: No, not at all. The company had lost a young and talented leader to cancer. It’s hard to imagine what that does to an organisation. There was an interim team, people doing their best, but no clear vision. Emotionally, it was heavy.
But these are exactly the moments I find meaningful. When there’s no roadmap, no safety net — that’s where leadership really matters.
Mat: So where do you even start in that situation?
Cédric: You start by listening.
Before doing anything, I spent a hundred days on the ground. Meeting retailers, riders, agents, employees. Asking the simplest question: what works, what doesn’t, and what should never change?
Then you start to identify what I call the “essentials”: the things that make the company tick. For North, it’s clear — product innovation, performance, and the connection to the riding community. That’s the core. Everything else should orbit around that.
Mat: That sounds like a method — almost military.
Cédric: (smiles) Maybe. But it’s just common sense. You can’t fix what you don’t understand. Once you listen, you can prioritise.
Then you build a plan: a vision, an action roadmap, alignment among the leadership team. Because it’s one thing to have a strategy; it’s another to have everyone moving in the same direction.
At Odlo, I used to say that joining a small brand after a giant like Procter & Gamble felt like trading a Porsche for a Fiat — “but at least now I was driving.”
When I arrived at North, the metaphor applied again.
Mat: What was the first thing you wanted to fix?
Cédric: Alignment. You can have great products and talented people, but if everyone pulls in different directions, it doesn’t work. I wanted to rebuild unity — not through PowerPoints, but by reconnecting everyone to the brand’s purpose.
We went back to basics: Why do we exist? What do we stand for? It sounds simple, but after years of transition, the brand needed to hear it again.
Mat: How did the team react to your style?
Cédric: They were surprised that I wasn’t here to revolutionise everything. My goal was stability first. Too many companies change direction every 18 months. I believe in consistent execution — clear goals, clear communication, and freedom within that framework.
Mat: And the emotional side? That must have been tricky.
Cédric: Very. You have to be humble. You can’t replace a person who was loved. You just continue the story. My job was to rebuild confidence — in the brand, in the team, in the future.
North’s challenge was not just internal. Externally, the entire market was wobbling. The pandemic had brought an unexpected boom in sales as people rediscovered outdoor and watersports.
Then came the crash: overstocks, discounts, retailers under pressure.
Mat: It sounds like a perfect storm — emotionally and financially.
Cédric: It was. The industry had grown 30, 40, sometimes 50% during Covid. Everyone over-invested. Factories were full, warehouses too. And then, suddenly, demand dropped. It was brutal.
So you need to rebuild with realism. For me, that means balancing passion and discipline. Passion is why we do this. Discipline is how we survive.
“Passion is why we do this. Discipline is how we survive.”
4. Rebuilding a Legacy after Duotone
Mat: Let’s talk about the elephant in the room — that historic split between North and Duotone. For a while, everyone in the community was confused. There was the old North, the new North, Duotone, Boards & More… What really happened, and how did you inherit that story?
Cédric: (smiles) I arrived years after the split, but I’ve heard the story many times. Until 2018, the brand North Kiteboarding was operated under licence by Boards & More. When the licence ended, Boards & More launched its own brand — Duotone — keeping many of the same designers and products. North, the original name, temporarily vanished from the market.
So yes, riders were lost. They saw the same models — the Rebel, the Evo — now under a different logo. Then, in 2019, the North Actionsports Group relaunched the true North Kiteboarding from scratch. New team, new R&D, new DNA.
Mat: That’s quite a comeback story.
Cédric: It is. And like every comeback, it takes time. Even today, some people still talk about “old” and “new” North. Our job is to make it one again — one story, one brand, one vision.
When I joined, that process was already underway but far from complete. The first step was to stop looking backward and start acting like a leader again.
Mat: How do you rebuild brand credibility after such a break?
Cédric: By being consistent, transparent, and excellent. You can’t just say, We’re back! — you have to prove it. Every product launch, every rider partnership, every customer interaction must deliver on that promise.
And we had to rebuild relationships with retailers and distributors. Some of them had switched to Duotone; others were waiting to see what the new North would do. We had to earn trust again, one board, one kite at a time.
Mat: It’s interesting — you talk about trust more than market share.
Cédric: Because without trust, you can’t build market share. Trust is the new currency. And riders are smart — they know when a brand is genuine or not.
Mat: And in terms of sales, how close are you to where North was before the split?
Cédric: We’re not there yet — but we’re catching up fast. What matters is momentum. The market knows we’re serious, and riders feel the energy. The rest will follow.
5. Markets in Motion: Kite, Foil & Wing
Mat: We often hear that the kite market is slowing down, but nobody really says it openly. You do.
Cédric: Yes, I do. The kite market is decreasing, that’s a fact. It’s normal — it has reached maturity.
Over the last two years, we’ve seen reductions of around 5 to 7 percent, and this year we’re closer to minus 10 percent.
In value, the drop is even stronger because of discounting. Many brands are still sitting on large stocks from the Covid boom, and to clear them they’ve pushed big promotions. Consumers have become used to buying last year’s kites at lower prices. That makes it difficult to sell new products at full value.
Mat: So the industry is still digesting the post-Covid wave?
Cédric: Exactly. During Covid, everyone wanted to ride — sales jumped 30, 40, even 50 percent in some cases.
Then everyone over-produced, over-stocked, over-hired. Now the adjustment is painful.
But this is short-term. It will stabilise again by the end of 2026, I think.
The good news is that other segments are booming. The foil market keeps growing 15 to 25 percent a year, and the wingfoil is the clear leader of that family. It’s where we see the most enthusiasm and innovation.
Mat: And what about kite’s long-term future?
Cédric: I still believe in it. It’s like windsurfing — the numbers dropped drastically, maybe divided by 10 or 20 since its golden age, but it still exists.
There are maybe 50 000 sails sold every year. That’s a sustainable niche.
As long as there is demand and passion, there will be a market. And for us, as long as we can take market share and offer something better, kite remains strategic.
Mat: You’ve said you see more potential in wingfoil than in kite. Why?
Cédric: It’s simply more accessible. I lived in Annecy; there are fewer and fewer kiters on the lake, but every week new people are learning to wingfoil. It’s easier to set up, safer, and fits more spots.
Wingfoil is still young. The sport is only a few years old. It has room to evolve, to simplify, to become even safer and more efficient.
Mat: So you see a market reshaping itself rather than collapsing.
Cédric: Exactly. The sports are shifting, not dying.
Kite is maturing. Foil and wing are expanding.
Our mission at North is to embrace all these evolutions, not to oppose them.
“ Kite is maturing. Foil and wing are expanding ”
6. Innovation, Electrification & Accessibility
Mat: Let’s stay on innovation for a moment. You mentioned foil-assist and electrification earlier — what’s your take on that trend?
Cédric: I really believe it’s coming. At the last AWSI event in Hood River, you could already see how much interest there is.
Electric propulsion will make it possible to ride in almost any condition — no wind, flat water, small lakes.
Of course, right now it’s expensive — between five and ten thousand euros — but look at what happened with e-bikes. Ten years ago, people said nobody would pay that much for a bike, and now it’s normal. Passionate riders always find a way.
For me, the most important thing is to make sure this innovation stays responsible and accessible. Technology should serve the experience, not create another barrier.
Mat: Today, if you’re a passionate rider, your garage is full. You’ve got a van, five boards, three foils, kites, wings, wetsuits… and it never ends. The problem isn’t just cost; it’s complexity. Too much gear, too much maintenance, too many combinations. When people look at getting into the sport, that can be intimidating.
Cédric: So we have to simplify. The industry needs to offer easier, more modular equipment and, maybe, different ways of owning it.
Mat: You mean rentals or sharing models?
Cédric: Exactly.
Just like skiing: fewer people own their skis now, but they still ski every winter.
Why not imagine the same thing for watersports? Local clubs, rental programmes, subscription models — so that people can ride without having to own a full quiver.
It’s also a generational shift. Younger consumers are less obsessed with owning things. They want experiences. They travel light, they want flexibility. We have to adapt to that.
Mat: Some brands, like Gong or F-One, have simplified their approach with their distribution network or gone all-in on direct sales. How does North see its place in that?
Cédric: I have huge respect for both. Gong has done an amazing job making gear more accessible by selling direct. F-One has built a strong network of specialised retailers.
But for North, I believe in multi-channel strategy — both direct-to-consumer and retail.
We need the shops because they are the heart of the community. They teach, they repair, they connect people.
At the same time, our online channel gives us data — and without data, you can’t really understand your rider.
Mat: Data again. You mention it often.
Cédric: Because it’s the next frontier.
Through our Club North platform, we’re building a community and collecting real-life feedback — who rides what, where, and how often. That helps us design better products and target our investments.
In the end, the goal is simple: make it easier for people to get on the water — whatever their level, budget or spot. That’s the real innovation.
“ Younger consumers want experiences, not possessions ”
7. Distribution, Retail & Data
Mat: North seems to be doing a bit of everything — direct sales, e-commerce, local shops. How do you manage that balance?
Cédric: By being realistic.
If you look at a brand like Nike, they went all-in on direct-to-consumer and are now taking a step back. They realised they still need strong partners in retail.
For me, it’s the same in watersports. To grow globally, you have to be multi-channel. You need your own e-commerce and direct connection with riders, but you also need shops — the people who live on the beaches, who know the conditions, who speak to customers face to face.
Without them, you lose authenticity.
Mat: Some argue that selling direct gives better margins.
Cédric: Sure, direct margins are higher. But if you think short-term, you destroy the ecosystem that made you exist.
So yes, we sell direct on our websites, but we also invest in our retailers — with better storytelling, in-store visibility, data tools, and long-term relationships.
Mat: You talked about data earlier — how does that connect with the retailers?
Cédric: Data helps everyone. If we don’t know who rides our products, where, and how, we’re blind.
Data isn’t about control; it’s about connection. It’s about understanding what people actually do so we can make their experience better.
When we understand what riders buy, where they ride, how often they repair or replace, we can give our dealers smarter assortments. Instead of pushing 100 references and hoping for the best, we can suggest the 20 products that really match their local demand.
That’s how you create value: helping your partner earn more with less stock.
At Odlo, I learned how to build partnerships; at P&G, how to read numbers. At North, I’m combining both.
With strategic partners, we co-create growth plans, marketing support, sometimes even co-branded events.
The idea is simple: if they grow, we grow.
Mat: That sounds like a big shift for your sales agents.
Cédric: It is. Now we’re asking them to talk about value creation, innovation, and data. It’s new, but it’s necessary. You can’t just sell a kite; you need to sell a story, a community, a brand experience.
“To grow globally, you have to be multi-channel.”
8. Leadership & Culture
Mat: Be honest — what happens when it’s blowing 25 knots outside?
Cédric: (laughs) I’m usually the one who stays at the office. But I love seeing everyone go. That’s what we’re here for.
If people work in a brand like North and can’t go test their toys when it’s blowing, then what’s the point?
I’ve never believed in the culture of control. What matters is that the job gets done, that results follow, and that the team stays energised.
Mat: So you don’t mind if people ride during office hours?
Cédric: Not at all — as long as the work is delivered.
It’s part of the balance. This industry runs on passion, not on 9-to-5 routines.
When you give people freedom, they give you engagement.
Of course, we have to be fair to everyone. Those who don’t ride get other oxygen bubbles — sports breaks, creative time, flexibility. It’s all about trust.
Mat: That trust culture seems central to your way of managing.
Cédric: Completely.
I don’t hire for titles; I hire for mindset.
I like people who are curious, positive, competitive in a good way — people who want to move forward and who aren’t afraid of trying.
If you build a team only with people from the same background, you end up with tunnel vision. Diversity brings creativity — gender, nationality, experience. We have about 15 nationalities here in Katwijk, and that’s a real strength.
Mat: You’ve worked in big corporations and small niche brands. What kind of leader are you now?
Cédric: A mix of both worlds.
From Procter & Gamble I kept the discipline and analytical rigour; from Odlo I learned empathy and proximity.
At North, I try to lead with clarity — set a direction, give people the tools, and then let them drive.
I spend a lot of time listening. And when people have ideas, I tell them: go test it. Don’t wait for approval from ten managers. Just do it, measure, learn.
Mat: You also seem to promote from within rather than hire externally systematically.
Cédric: Yes, as much as possible.
It motivates the team and creates loyalty.
We open positions, of course — we’re hiring in design, marketing, product management — but the best stories are when someone grows inside the company.
We even have athletes who become employees. For example, Camille Delannoy, one of our top riders, joined the team full-time.
“ When you give people freedom, they give you engagement ”
9. A French CEO in the Netherlands
Mat: Moving from Annecy to Katwijk isn’t a small change. How did you sell that idea to your family?
Cédric: (laughs) Like a true salesman. I told them it would be an adventure.
Annecy is paradise, but sometimes you need to step out of your comfort zone. We’d already lived abroad once, in Geneva, so we knew the value of it — for the kids, for us as a family.
My wife was surprisingly open-minded. She hates the cold, so the “North Sea” part wasn’t exactly a selling point, but she saw the opportunity. The hardest part was convincing my teenage son — he’s a snowboarder and football addict. For him, leaving his friends and the mountains felt like the end of the world.
Now he loves it. The Netherlands turned out to be much warmer — in spirit, not in temperature — than we expected.
Mat: What’s daily life like here for a mountain guy?
Cédric: Honestly, it’s great. The Dutch are extremely active, open, and direct.
There’s a real culture of balance — work hard, but enjoy life.
And we’re only two kilometres from the beach. When the wind is up, you can see the kites from the office windows.
I still miss the Alps, of course. We kept our house in Annecy and a small apartment in the mountains. Skiing remains my first love; we go three or four times a year. But now I’ve discovered a different kind of beauty.
Mat: And you? Do you actually ride now?
Cédric: I do! I finally learned kiting this year. The water’s freezing, but it’s part of the charm.
I also travel a lot, so I’ve been lucky to ride in warmer places — Mauritius, Tarifa, sometimes even at my in-laws’ near Île de Ré.
I’ve tried foil assist, and I love it. My next goal is to learn wingfoil properly.
I’ll never be the best in the office — some of our designers are world-class riders !
Mat: The Netherlands seems to suit you.
Cédric: It does. The country’s very international, and for kids it’s amazing — safe, curious, creative.
And from a business point of view, it’s perfect: close to Germany, the UK, France, Denmark… it’s at the crossroads of the European action sports world.
10. Vision for the Future
Mat: You said there’s another big challenge coming for you. What’s next?
Cédric: Yes — I’ve been asked to also lead North Sails Apparel, the textile branch of the group based in Milan.
So now I’ll be CEO of two companies in two different countries.
It’s an incredible opportunity, but it also means a new relocation — probably to Italy.
The decision was announced internally but not yet publicly at the time we spoke, so it’s still fresh.
Mat: That’s a huge step. How do you manage both?
Cédric: With good teams.
At North Actionsports Group we now have a solid leadership crew. They can drive projects day-to-day while I focus on strategy. North Sails Apparel is a different beast : it’s lifestyle, fashion, retail. But it shares the same DNA — the ocean, performance, sustainability.
Mat: How big is the apparel business?
Cédric: Roughly twice the size of North Actionsports Group — close to 100 million euros in turnover.
They make everything from sailing jackets to technical lifestyle collections, sold through their own stores and online.
It’s a brand with huge potential. It’s strong in Italy, growing in France and Spain, and we want to reconnect it more with the authentic sailing spirit — the performance side that made the name legendary.
Mat: You also mentioned possible acquisitions. Can you say more?
Cédric: The group’s goal is to double in size, to reach around a billion euros in combined revenue.
In the sailing division, we already have about 65 percent of the sail-making market, so there’s not much left to buy there.
Future acquisitions will probably come in sports and lifestyle : brands that complement what we do, or technologies that accelerate innovation — maybe in electrification, maybe in new materials, maybe in connected products.
Sometimes it could also be clubs or service concepts. The idea is not just to sell equipment, but to create a complete ecosystem of ride experiences.
Mat: What are you personally looking for in a brand or a project?
Cédric: Three things : innovation, synergy, and meaning.
If a brand brings new ideas, fits our DNA, and adds value for riders, it’s worth exploring.
And if we can generate operational synergies — purchasing, logistics, data — we can make it stronger and more sustainable.
I don’t believe in acquisitions just for size. They have to make sense.
“ We have to act like a leader, even when we’re the challenger ”
Cédric Georges, North Actionsports Group CEO for Mordu
LISTEN TO THE FULL ORIGINAL EPISODE (FRENCH COCORICO STYLE)
ABOUT MORDU
Mordu is the #1st French speaking podcast dedicated to the ride and outdoor culture — from surf to snow, from foil to trail.
Created and hosted by Mat, Mordu explores the people, stories and ideas that move our world : athletes, entrepreneurs, shapers and innovators who share one thing in common — the passion for action sports.
With more than 100 episodes already released, Mordu has become a reference for authentic conversations and inspiring perspectives across the outdoor community in France.
SOURCES and REFERENCES
North Actionsports Group : https://northactionsports.com
Mystic : https://www.mysticboarding.com/
Outdoor Sports Valley (OSV) : https://www.outdoorsportsvalley.org/
Patrice Guenolé, Gong founder : https://mordu-podcast.com/blog/patrice-guenole-gong
Raphael Salles, Fone founder : https://mordu-podcast.com/blog/raphal-salles-fondateur-de-f-one-une-passion-linnovation
