Nick Franklin, an American former executive of Walt Disney parks, has been hired by the World Surf League as the new president of the Kelly Slater Wave Company (KSWC), which was responsible for developing the world's best artificial wave, the Surf Ranch.

“His areas of focus will be to drive growth and development to the business globally, seeking to strategically and operationally integrate with the WSL, leading the continued innovation and evolution of the product, including the wave, venues and consumer experience,” reads the press release posted on the WSL website last week.

The new executive worked for 18 years at the Walt Disney Company, where he was responsible for park strategy, real estate development, brand evolution and operations, among other things. He became executive vice president of next-generation experiences, where he transformed experiences at Disney parks and resorts.

Franklin, who studied political science at Princeton and then earned an MBA at Wharton, said: "What drew me to the position is the appeal of surfing (...) With the technology of the Surf Ranch in Lemoore and the connection to the WSL, we have an incredible platform to engage with passionate surfers and also connect with those who are not familiar with the sport to expand the business.”

WSL CEO Sophie Goldschmidt said the Surf Ranch creates a transformative experience and that “Nick will push the boundaries to take the consumer experience to the next level.”

After Slater showed the world his invention in December 2015, the WSL bought the facility and the company that developed the wave in May 2016.