British cycling clothing brand, Rapha, has today announced the appointment of a new CEO, welcoming the current boss of Belstaff Clothing, Fran Millar, into the role.
Millar, who has also held the position of CEO at Ineos Grenadiers and had been with the team since its 2009 inception as Team Sky, will begin in the new role effective September 23.
Rapha's current CEO, Francois Convercey, has been with the company since 2015, previously holding the role of Chief Brand & Marketing Officer. He was sprung into the role of Joint Managing Director alongside Daniel Blumire in November 2022 after the sudden departure of William Kim, who stepped down after less than a year in charge.
When Blumire subsequently left in October 2023, Convercey stepped into a sole CEO role as the head of the brand. He is now stepping down from his role and Rapha confirms he will be leaving the business.
Millar, meanwhile, who also happens to be the sister of former professional David Millar, began her career by founding the athlete management agency FACE in 2000. Through the subsequent eight years, she managed riders such as Mark Cavendish and Geraint Thomas, and created the Smithfield Nocturne series, a race which was later sponsored by Rapha.
In 2009, she was part of the team that created Team Sky, holding various roles over the ensuing decade, including Director of Business Operations and Head of Winning Behaviours. In 2018, as Team Sky became Team INEOS and subsequently INEOS Grenadiers, she moved into the role of CEO for a time.
In a coincidental parallel, both Belstaff Clothing and Rapha were acquired by their respective parent companies in 2017. Belstaff, the British clothing brand with a focus on motoring heritage, was acquired by Jim Ratcliffe's INEOS Group, while Rapha was taken over by RCZ Investments, run by Tom and Steuart Walton, the two billionaires more famously known as the grandsons of Walmart founder, Sam Walton.
In 2020, Ratcliffe appointed Millar as CEO of Belstaff and tasked her with developing a turnaround strategy. This is reported to have led to improved financial performance, brand repositioning and cultural change.
Rapha has also enjoyed its own success, growing to become one of the biggest cycling clothing brands in the world, despite struggling in more recent years amid the post-pandemic downturn.
"Fran Millar's career is a testament to her dedication to cycling and her ability to drive transformative change," Steuart Walton said of the appointment, citing her "extensive background in the cycling world" as motivation for the hire.
Millar, who leaves the INEOS Group just days after performance engineer Dan Bigham left the team due to frustration with the management structure, described Rapha as "one of the most iconic brands in sport," saying it has "huge potential for its next phase of growth."
"This role combines everything I am passionate about and I am honoured to lead Rapha into the exciting next chapter of its journey," she concluded.
Rapha's founder, Simon Mottram, described Millar's appointment as "a significant milestone for the brand."
"Fran has been a friend of Rapha since 2006 when she helped us establish and run the Nocturne series of races. She then introduced us to Dave Brailsford and Team Sky, culminating in our successful four-year partnership. Fran's deep understanding of the cycling industry, combined with her proven track record in leading high-performance teams and brands, positions her uniquely to guide Rapha into its next chapter."
