Stubble & Co appoints former Osprey Europe chief Rob Wylie as new Chairman

British bag brand Stubble & Co has appointed Rob Wylie as its new Chairman to help propel global expansion and product development.

Wylie is an expert in the adventure and travel sector having brought American backpack brand Osprey into Europe in 2003. He drove double-digit growth until he left the business in 2019, growing turnover to over £40m during his 16-year tenure.

The appointment comes off the back of Stubble & Co securing a multi-million pound investment from consumer specialist investment firm Growth Partner, which is backed by HomeServe Founder and Chairman Richard Harpin, in November 2023.

Stubble & Co, which was founded by husband and wife team Ben and Victoria Watkiss in 2017, achieved record sales in the last quarter and the business is forecasting sales of £10m this year.

Ben Watkiss said: “As soon as we met Rob, it was immediately obvious he had the exact experience, personality and drive to accelerate our journey. There is no shortcut to experience, and his track record of growing Osprey Europe is phenomenal. We’re excited to work together, continue investing in a world-class team and take Stubble & Co to the next level.”

Wylie commented: “It is a great honour for me to join Ben, Vic, Growth Partner and the rest of the fantastic team at Stubble & Co. My aim is to help build on the significant momentum and success they have created. We’ve already started an exciting journey together.”

Stubble & Co was founded on the idea to design “the perfect bag for every journey”. Tough, durable and multi-functional, its bags are targeted at daily commuters, gym-goers, “weekend escapers”, all-weather cyclists and frequent flyers. The brand’s slogan is ‘Do. More.’

Image: Rob Wylie (centre) with Victoria and Ben Watkiss