Bob McKnight, co- founded Quiksilver in 1976 and has served as the company’s President, CEO and Chairman of the Board since its inception until 2015. Under his watch, Quiksilver grew from a startup to a worldwide corporation with revenues of $2.5 Billion. Today, Quiksilver, Inc. has merged with the Billabong Group and is now called “Boardriders Inc.” Boardriders is a globally diversified, world leader in outdoor lifestyle apparel and hardgoods with their seven main brands of Quiksilver, Roxy, DC. Billabong, RVCA, Element and Von Zipper. The company has over 5000 employees, operates in over 100 countries and has close to 700 retail stores in the world. Bob served on the Quiksilver Inc. NYSE Board as Chairman for 27 years. Today Bob serves as a consultant and Ambassador to the company, and manages the Boardriders Foundation.
Bob currently resides in Laguna Beach, CA with his wife Annette and their three children, Kristi, Roxy and Robbie. Both Kristi and Roxy work in Public Relations, branding and Marketing. Robbie started and sold an accessory company called Cuater, and is now working on a wave pool project.
Bob grew up in San Marino, California and attended San Marino High School, graduating in 1971.
Bob graduated from USC in 1976, with an undergraduate degree in Business Management.
Bob is also on the Board of The Wrigley Institute, The Ocean Institute in Dana Point, and Jones Trading and Associates. He continues to teach classes in finance and entrepreneurship annually at USC, UC Irvine and Stanford.
In his spare time Bob enjoys surfing, snowboarding, diving and playing golf and beach volleyball.