Crocs, Inc., a global leader in casual footwear for women, men and children today announced that Charisse Ford Hughes has been appointed to its board of directors effective October 1, 2020.
A seasoned marketing executive, Ms. Ford Hughes brings decades of global consumer marketing, e-commerce, and product development experience to the Crocs board. She currently serves as Senior Vice President and Global Chief Marketing Officer of Kellogg Company, where she is responsible for building global strategies for the company’s portfolio of snack and cereal brands.
Before joining Kellogg earlier this month, Ms. Ford Hughes led the transformation of Pandora Jewelry’s digital marketing efforts, resulting in improvements in brand strength, brand equity, and omni-retail performance as Chief Marketing Officer for the Americas region. Ms. Ford Hughes has also held senior marketing and leadership positions at consumer brands including Avon Products, Inc., the Sara Lee Corporation and Estée Lauder Companies, Inc., where, as Senior Vice President, she drove all product, consumer, and digital marketing for the global cosmetics brand.
Her consumer-centric marketing approach combined with extensive experience adapting to evolving consumer needs and business cycles will be leveraged to help Crocs expand its desirability, relevance, and consideration on a global scale.
“We are pleased to welcome Charisse to the Crocs board of directors,” said Thomas J. Smach, chairman of the board. “She is a thoughtful, data-driven executive who has displayed, time and again, that brands can create positive results and shareholder value by understanding and responding to evolving consumer trends. Her experience across brand management, e-commerce, and data and analytics will play an important role as we accelerate the Crocs brand globally.”
“As a marketer entrenched in culture, I share not only a passion for the brand and its iconic product, but also embrace its mission to make everyone comfortable in their own shoes,” said Ford Hughes. “I’m humbled to join such a passionate, talented team of directors and am eager to make an impact as the Crocs brand continues to execute against its growth strategy.”
Crocs Chief Executive Officer Andrew Rees added, “Charisse has a proven track record of aligning global brands with their consumers in strategic and innovative ways. We welcome her deep understanding of the nuanced marketing landscape as we continue to position Crocs for sustainable, profitable growth and are thrilled to have her join us.”
Ms. Ford Hughes currently serves on the board of the Baltimore Development Corporation and serves as a board advisor to Pixability, a video advertising platform company. She earned an undergraduate degree in Finance from Howard University and her MBA in Finance and Marketing from the J.L. Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
