Brooks grows leadership roster to strengthen innovation-led footwear engine SEATTLE (Feb. 9, 2026) – Brooks Running today announced the appointment of industry veteran Claire Wood as Vice President, Footwear Product Strategy, a newly created role designed to further accelerate the brand’s industry-leading focus on performance footwear. In this critical position, Wood will lead Brooks’ Footwear Product Line Management (PLM), Merchandising, and Product Marketing teams — elevating how the brand connects long-term vision to product creation and go-to-market (GTM) strategy. This net new role underscores Brooks’ continued investment in shaping the future of footwear through runner-first insight, advanced product strategy, and disciplined execution. Wood brings deep footwear industry expertise and a strategically grounded understanding of how product vision, consumer insight, and marketplace clarity come together to build performance footwear runners trust. She began her career at Brooks as a field marketing representative and later as one of the brand’s first‑ever Footwear PLMs, helping shape the early evolution of the Brooks Ghost, now one of the most iconic and best-selling performance running shoes in the world. “Claire brings exceptional clarity to how product strategy translates into meaningful runner experiences,” said Carson Caprara, Senior Vice President of Footwear and Apparel at Brooks Running. “Claire’s creative leadership and bold thinking will strengthen how we deliver cohesive, runner-focused footwear at scale — while continuing to support Brooks’ innovation-forward approach to performance footwear. I’m so thrilled she’s returning to Brooks.” Between her time at Brooks, Wood spent over a decade at New Balance, advancing to Global Product Director & Strategic Business Manager, Performance Running, where she played a key leadership role in the brand’s running business. Wood also served as a visible leader and spokesperson for the category, working closely with elite athletes across track, field, and road racing to translate performance insight into scalable innovation. Most recently, Wood served as Vice President, Product Creation & Global Footwear at SOREL, where she led design, development, and product management while driving a multi-year product and process transformation. Under her leadership, SOREL redefined its product strategy, elevated craftsmanship and premium positioning, and aligned product storytelling more tightly with go-to-market execution. “Brooks has always held a place in my heart,” said Wood. “This brand has an unmatched focus on the runner and I’m ecstatic to work with such a deeply committed team to connect creativity and craft that runners can feel from the first step.” Wood’s hire comes at a time of strong global momentum for Brooks, as the brand continues to invest across its footwear ecosystem, deeply connecting product strategy, consumer insight, and broader innovation capabilities to elevate the running experience and shape the future of the category. Brooks recently closed 2025 with record-breaking global revenue, achieving a 16% increase year over year and extending its track record to nine consecutive years of growth. With this key hire and additional organizational shifts across its footwear product strategy and innovation teams, the brand is poised to win in 2026 and beyond. About Brooks Running Brooks Running creates market-leading performance running footwear, apparel, sports bras, and accessories distributed worldwide. Brooks exists to inspire everyone to run and be active, through innovative gear, tools, and experiences designed to take you to the place that makes you feel more alive. Since 1914, Brooks has been propelled by a never-ending curiosity with how humans move, pushing the limits of motion science, engineering, and technology to create gear that unlocks the power of energy and movement for everyone. Brooks is a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. and is headquartered in Seattle, Washington. Visit www.brooksrunning.com for more information or follow @brooksrunning.
