URBNSURF names new chief executive

URBNSURF has announced the appointed Jennifer Vandekreeke as its new Chief Executive to lead the Australian business as it becomes the first developer in the world to operate two surf parks.

She joined URBNSURF in mid-March 2024 and will officially take over as Chief Executive on 17th May succeeding current postholder Damon Tudor who announced at the end of last year that he would be stepping down following the upcoming opening of URBSURF Sydney.

With a background in the tourism, Vandekreeke has experience in growing companies by enhancing customer experiences. She is known for her work with Carnival Cruise Line in Australia and has held executive positions at NRMA and Club Med.

Aiming to enhance the surf park experience for both seasoned surfers and newcomers, making surfing more accessible to Australians, Vandekreeke advised “URBNSURF has become part of Australia’s surf culture and we have a key role to play in making surfing accessible to more Australians.

"I look forward to welcoming everyone to URBNSURF to discover and experience the thrill of riding waves in a fun and safe environment.”

Later on LinkedIn she added “the URBNSURF team is a perfect blend of passion, talent and hustle. The team has already written the playbook on how to build and operate a Surf Park.

“And we're about to write the next chapter in our story focusing on commercialisation and customer experience in this exciting and emerging industry.”

Tudor, who has led URBNSURF since 2019, oversaw the opening of URBNSURF Melbourne, managed challenges of pandemic shutdowns and has steered the development of the soon-to-open second surf park at Sydney Olympic Park.

Under his leadership, URBNSURF Melbourne secured numerous awards and has hosted nearly 700,000 guests.

Image: Jennifer Vandekreeke. Credit: Carnival Cruises.