The man behind Neil Pryde. Neil Pryde.

It’s the end of an era for the largest windsurfing, kiteboarding, stand up paddling and sailing company in the world – Neil Pryde.

 The man himself is stepping down as Managing Director of Neil Pryde Limited and will become the Chairman of the company after retirement. The plan then, is to devote most of his time in promoting and supporting the company's business activities around the world. Of course he’ll also get to spend a whole lot more on the yachts he’s so passionate about too.

Replacing Neil will be Patrick Pender, the current deputy Managing Director, and Peter Lui, who is now the CFO will become the COO. For those of you who don’t speak corporate, that means that the second and third in charge of Neil Pryde have both moved up a rung on the ladder.

In a press release to his dealers and staff, Neil Pryde commented:
"The decision for me to step back from active management of the company that I founded 43 years ago is obviously a significant milestone in the company's history and in my life. Neil Pryde Limited represents my life's work and I am extremely proud of what we have been able to create in one of the world's leading action sports companies with market leading brands in Windsurfing and Kitesurfing.

I certainly could not have achieved anything we have done without the support of an incredibly loyal group of colleagues and employees and I will not forget the effort you have made on behalf of the company. I wish you well for the future.

I am confident that Patrick with his experience and leadership will bring us greater success and I hope you will give Patrick the same support you have given me over many years. Peter Lui has been my close associate for more than 13 years and I am delighted to see him in his new role as Chief Operating Officer and I am sure he together with Patrick will be instrumental in the future success of the company.

As you are aware, I will become the Chairman of the company and remain as a member of the Board of Directors. You may be assured, I will continue to maintain a very strong interest in all of the company's activities and the progress of its employees."

So what does this mean for the kiteboarding side of the Neil Pryde group, Cabrinha? Probably very little. Neil Pryde himself never actually tried kiteboarding, preferring instead to sail maxi yachts around Hong Kong and keep a watchful eye over the product development of the windsurfing gear. Besides, at his age and considering he’s now retiring, it’s probably a little late in the game to be starting new sports. Instead he left the management of the products to it’s founder, Pete Cabrinha and the team at Neil Pryde Limited. So rest assured, while the mother company has had a change in leadership (kind of), Cabrinha, Neil Pryde, JP Australia and NP will all remain very much the same.

We wish Neil good luck in his retirement, and thanks for founding the company that helped shape this sport into what it has become today. May there be many more years of development and innovation from Cabrinha and the Neil Pryde Group.