Saucony has recruited from inside the world’s largest running brand to lead its global marketing push – a hire that signals where the Wolverine-owned label believes the category battle will be won.
Wendy Kula, who most recently oversaw women’s brand marketing across North America at Nike, has been appointed chief marketing officer at Saucony. She will lead the running brand’s global marketing function, overseeing brand strategy, digital marketing, creative, and go-to-market execution.
Kula gives Saucony a marketer from one of the category’s biggest platforms. At Nike, she served as Vice President of Women’s Brand Marketing, North America, directing campaigns across running, sport, and training. Previously, she held senior roles at Aerie and MISSION, focused on inclusive storytelling and community-led brand building.
Kula will work closely with product, sales, and direct-to-consumer teams. That cross-functional remit is notable: CMO appointments in the running category are increasingly expected to connect marketing output to DTC revenue growth, not just brand awareness, reflecting the premium margins available through owned channels.
A former lacrosse player at Stanford University, Kula brings what the company describes as a lifelong connection to sport, a biographical note with real strategic weight for a brand whose credibility depends on authenticity with serious runners.
