Before being named chief executive officer of Wolverine Worldwide, Chris Hufnagel spent three years at the helm of Merrell, leading it through the pandemic and significant market changes. Here he discusses the label’s legacy and why he’s not leaning on the past.
His time as brand president: “When I had the privilege of leading Merrell, it was a realization that the world was changing, and Merrell had to evolve. It had to become more modern, had to become more relevant. We worked hard to become a brand that created great products but also worked to tell great stories.”
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Brand evolution: “Merrell has changed a lot over 45 years. I’d argue it’s changed more in the last couple of years than it ever has, and it needed to change. But it’s important to me that the 45th milestone is not a retrospective. I don’t want anyone here just looking back at what we built. Everyone should have eyes wide open for what the future is. My challenge to the teams is, what are we going to do while we’re here so the next leadership team benefits from the work that we did. We should look back with pride, but importantly, we need to be looking forward at what’s next.”
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The team: “The Merrell leadership team today is as strong as it’s ever been. Our brand president, our head of marketing, our head of product, we really, have some deeply talented people that are bringing new perspectives to the business. I’m really pleased with the team that we’re fielding today, and really bullish on what they can do in the future.”
Areas of strength: “We are in a hiking category that has been under pressure, but we’re gaining share quarter after quarter, which I’m pleased about. And it’s not just a U.S. story. The brand is also seeing growth in Japan, strength in Europe, and Latin America remains an important region for Merrell. It’s also about new products we’re bringing to market. So it’s not just one silhouette or one region of the world. It really is a healthy base from which to grow the business, and I give the team credit because they cultivated that.”
The future: “Winning with [the female consumer] is what I’m most excited about, while also expanding beyond the trail. Merrell is a leader in outdoor hiking footwear, and at the same time, there are so many more opportunities for us to grow trail running. There are also other categories, like outdoor lifestyle, whether it’s cold- and wet-weather boots, whether it’s sandals, whether it’s versatile travel shoes. How can we provide more shoes for more wearing occasions? You need to build on the brand’s authenticity, heritage and performance credibility to be successful in these new spaces.”