MARINE DERRIEN APPOINTED MANAGING DIRECTOR OF NORTH SAILS FRANCE
Driving innovation, teamwork, and growth across the French sailing landscape.
North Sails is pleased to announce a new leadership structure: Thomas Normand takes on the role of Global Sales and Service Director while Marine Derrien becomes Managing Director of North Sails France. This transition is part of the company’s ongoing growth strategy and reaffirms its ambition for proximity and market leadership. With more than one hundred sites worldwide, North Sails is a tour de force, boasting an impressive legacy marked by groundbreaking innovations that have revolutionized sailing. The brand is the preferred supplier for prestigious events like the America’s Cup, the Vendée Globe, The Ocean Race, and the Olympics.
MARINE DERRIEN, EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE SERVING NORTH SAILS IN FRANCE
Marine began her already impressive career with OC Sport - the sports event company founded by Dame Ellen MacArthur and Mark Turner - where she spent seven years in key roles, including Director of La Solitaire du Figaro and La Route du Rhum. Her experience spanned into the America’s Cup with team Luna Rossa, overseeing logistics operations in Auckland and San Francisco. Most recently, she served as Team Principal for the Holcim - PRB campaign during The Ocean Race 2022–23. She then had the honor of leading the Olympic Games parade on the Seine in Paris, a historic first showcasing nations outside the stadium.
With nearly 18 years of experience in the marine industry, Marine credits the breadth and variety of her career for preparing her for this next chapter. “It’s the diversity and complementarity of my experiences that give me the tools to take on this challenge today,” she explains. As she assumes the role of Managing Director of North Sails France, Marine emphasizes the importance of teamwork in her vision: “I believe the key to performance lies in everyone understanding each other’s role and being proud to represent North Sails. My goal is to build this sense of pride and unite all energies toward a common objective.”
Thomas Normand adds: “I am very pleased to welcome Marine as Managing Director of North Sails France. Her experience in both offshore racing and the event industry, in France and abroad, will be a great asset in her daily work.”
NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR NORTH SAILS IN FRANCE
While offshore racing remains a strong pillar of the French market, North Sails aims to expand its development into other sailing segments. “The challenge for North Sails France is to move beyond the sole offshore racing universe, prestigious as it may be, and to grow in other markets and with other types of boats, supporting the diversity of sailing,” says Derrien. “I am extremely proud to join the group and I look forward to taking on this new challenge.”
Internationally, the group intends to strengthen its technological edge and continue investing in innovative and sustainable solutions, while reinforcing its network and services for sailors, shipyards, and sailing enthusiasts.
ABOUT NORTH SAILS
North Sails is the world’s leading sailmaker, renowned for its pioneering spirit and unmatched legacy of innovation. Founded in 1957 by Lowell North - a visionary determined to build the best racing sails ever made - the brand has continually reshaped the sport of sailing. Today, North Sails is the preferred choice for elite competitions including the America’s Cup, Grand Prix circuits, Ocean Racing, the Olympics, and Superyachts. With a track record of victories and records that surpass all competitors combined, North Sails remains the benchmark in performance-driven sailmaking.
