Dr. Martens has named Carla Murphy as its chief brand officer, effective July 1, according to a press release last week.
Murphy was most recently global senior vice president and general manager for Adidas Outdoor at Adidas AG, where she was responsible for global strategy, management and execution across the outdoor category, per the release.
She succeeds Ije Nwokorie, who was recently promoted to CEO. Murphy will report to Nwokorie and join the company’s global leadership team. In her new position, she will drive brand strategy and creative direction and will oversee multiple divisions including global marketing and sustainability. Murphy will be based in the company’s London offices.
In addition to Adidas, Murphy also worked for VF as global chief brand and product officer of Icebreaker. She also held senior brand roles at Amer Sports group, which includes Nikita, Salomon, Atomic and Arc’teryx.
“Our brand is our most important asset, and I’m thrilled that Carla is joining to lead the brand organisation,” Nwokorie said in the release. “Carla is an exceptional leader with a proven track record for using bold storytelling and fearless creativity to drive growth for world-renowned brands, and she will do amazing work with our immensely talented brand and creative teams.”
Murphy joins a cohort of new executives at Dr. Martens. Last week, the footwear brand hired Paul Zadoff as its next president of Americas. Nwokorie took over the CEO role in January from former CEO Kenny Wilson.
In the release, Murphy said she couldn’t wait to get started at Dr. Martens, which she said was an iconic brand with a loyal consumer base.
“It has cultivated a passionate community and a devoted loyal consumer base, which I have long admired,” Murphy said. “Joining the team and the brand at this moment is incredibly exciting, the ambition and energy is high, and there is a tremendous opportunity in this next chapter to break new ground and connect with an even wider audience in a truly meaningful and culturally relevant way.”
Since 2021, Dr. Martens has made several senior leadership hires on the brand and creative side, including Neil Cummings, creative director of global brand studio; Emma Howarth, category director; Adam Owen, global design director; and Paul Bowyer, global brand marketing director, according to the release.
However, the footwear brand remains without a creative director since Darren McKoy stepped down in January. McKoy had been with Dr. Martens for 10 years.
Dr. Martens will report its 2025 fiscal year results Thursday.
