Dr. Martens restructures leadership to deliver 'consumer-first' strategy

Dr. Martens has announced a restructuring of its senior leadership, introducing the position of General Managers for five of its key markets to simplify its operating model.

The restructuring forms part of the brand's broader turnaround effort, with the transition to a market-level leadership structure meant to ensure closer engagement with its consumers.

"Over the past year we have reorganised our business and ways of working so that we are truly consumer-first, as opposed to channel-led," said Ije Nwokorie, CEO at Dr. Martens.

The new structure will ensure each of the brand's six major markets, which account for 80% of global revenues for Dr. Martens, is run by a dedicated leader and team, with almost all new General Managers (GMs) being promoted from within the brand's ranks.

These include Nick Duff as the GM for the UK (initially announced in March), Nathalie Schneider as the new France GM, Kristin Staeren taking over as DACH GM, and Giorgio Trevisan as GM for Italy.

Yoichi Oikawa, who is the new GM for Japan, joined Dr. Martens in February after five and a half years as VP and GM for the APAC region at American apparel company Hanesbrands, following stints at both Adidas and Burton Snowboards.

The US market will continue to be directly run by Paul Zadoff, who remains President of the Americas. All General Managers will report to Mike Stopforth, who has taken on the newly created role of Chief Commercial Officer.

New appointments to the Executive Team also include Carla Murphy as Chief Brand Officer - overseeing product, marketing, customer experience and sustainability - and Giles Wilson as CFO, overseeing both technology and strategy functions.

Speaking on the appointments, Nwokorie added: "I am excited to work alongside our leadership team, combining experienced Dr. Martens leaders and world-class talent from some of the most desired global brands. They will each play a significant role in helping us to deliver against our strategy and scale the business in the years ahead."

This latest announcement forms part of a longer-term transformation for Dr. Martens, which was first outlined in June 2025 as part of its 'Levers for Growth' strategy. This identified organisational simplification as a key pillar to drive efficiency, scale, and speed.

The focus on restructuring was also reiterated in the company's Q3 trading update delivered in January 2026.

Dr. Martens sales slipped in the most recent quarter after the group scaled back discounting and clearance activity, with revenues falling 3.1% to £253 million in the 13 weeks to 28 December. The drop was driven by a 7% decline in direct-to-consumer sales.

In February 2026, the brand first announced a reorganisation of its business at the EMEA regional level, with some roles moving into group functions and others shifting to individual markets. As a result, the brand said certain positions would be made redundant.