Martin Hosking, CEO and co-founder of Australian personalised print marketplace Redbubble is resigning from his role, with the company replacing him with its current COO Barry Newstead from August.

Hosking launched Redbubble in 2007, with two other friends from Melbourne, with the company going on to be one of Australia’s biggest tech growth stories, and has been CEO since 2010. The company is an online portal matching artists with consumers wanting personalised print on t-shirts, caps, cups and the like, and has been wildly successful, sales in the six months to December topped $100m.

Hosking says, “The past decade has been an incredible start to Redbubble’s journey. The business is propelled by strong momentum, leading technology and favourable global consumer trends.

“I have worked with Barry Newstead for five years and attribute much of Redbubble’s success to his leadership. He will be familiar to many investors, bringing the strategic vision and operating depth the company needs as it seizes the disruptive opportunity of global on-demand retail.

[Related: Redbubble considers leaving Aus]

“Finally, while my role in Redbubble will change, my commitment to it as a non-executive director and as a shareholder will not. I look forward to continuing to support the company whose mission and people I hold dear.”

Richard Cawsey, chair of the Redbubble Board says, “Since co-founding Redbubble in 2006, Martin and his leadership team have delivered year after year of outstanding growth. From the beginning, Martin has been clear Redbubble was established for the long-term. He has helped to ensure its governance and operating structures will endure and support a vision larger than one individual.

“The Board is grateful for his leadership which has seen Redbubble develop from a start-up to a globally competitive growth company. Few Australian companies are so well positioned for future impact. Martin’s work has had an impact on hundreds of thousands of artists worldwide and he has assembled and inspired an immensely talented team embodying the values of the Company.”

Newstead has been with Redbubble since 2013.

[Related: Redbubble revenue up by 30 per cent]

He says, “I am delighted to be appointed MD and CEO and look forward to continuing to build on the many outstanding achievements of the company to date. I am deeply committed to the business, our mission and potential for sustained growth and value creation. I am proud of what we have built under Martin’s leadership and energised by the opportunities for Redbubble.

“We are just at the beginning of our endeavour to disrupt retail commerce globally. I look forward to continuing to create value for shareholders, employees, artists and partners for many years to come. I am personally committed and excited by the opportunity to serve Redbubble’s people, partners and shareholders.”

Cawsey says, “The Board believes Barry’s appointment reflects the strength of the company’s succession planning and the quality and depth of its management team.”

Last month, Redbubble was considering moving its operations out of Australia, fearing vulnerability to litigation with a new copyright amendment bill passing the Senate.

Redbubble has already had two copyright lawsuits in the past year, with Hell’s Angels and Pokemon. Hosking said the new laws, which aim to protect servicers, would contrarily leave Redbubble open to more litigation and affect its manufacturing jobs in Brisbane and Melbourne.

Redbubble has around 220 staff.

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