MORGAN HILL, Calif. (BRAIN) — Slate Olson, who is currently Rapha's chief marketing officer, will relocate from London to California next year to join Specialized as vice president of global marketing in March.
Olson was with Nike for about seven years before joining Rapha in early 2008. He was general manager of the clothing brand's U.S. operations for a time, then moved to London last year when he was named CMO.
Olson said he was looking forward to returning to what he called "The Best Coast."
"It was a difficult decision to leave (Rapha)," Olson told BRAIN on Monday. "It's not something I took lightly. But for myriad reasons — family, professional and otherwise — I made the decision to return to the West Coast. I'm looking forward to working with Ben Capron and Mike," he said, referring to Specialized's CMO and its founder and president, Mike Sinyard, respectively.
Olson said the long period between the announcement and his starting date in Morgan Hill is due to the necessary trans-Atlantic move, the nature of British contracts and his determination to leave Rapha in a good position.
"I think it's more typical with British companies to have a longer exit period of several months rather than two weeks. And I think how you leave a position is just as important as how you start it."
