Vans names new global marketing chief

U.S. streetwear brand Vans on Tuesday appointed Drieke Leenknegt to the role of global chief marketing officer, effective July 5.  

At Vans, Leenknegt will report directly to Kevin Bailey, global brand president at Vans, and will be a key thought leader for Vans’ growth and strategic direction. 

Parent company VF Corp. made the announcement via its LinkedIn page, welcoming the former Nike employee to the Vans brand, after her stint at VF sister brand, Timberland.

‘​We’re excited to announce footwear industry veteran and marketing leader Drieke Leenknegt will be joining Vans as our new Global Chief Marketing Officer, beginning July 5,” VF Corp. said in the statement.
 
“Serving in leadership roles with Timberland and Nike prior to arriving at Vans, Drieke brings more than 20 years of knowledge across marketing and communications and is well positioned to lead our global marketing and creative teams. Welcome Drieke! “

At Vans, Leenknegt will report directly to Kevin Bailey, global brand president at Vans, and will be a key thought leader for Vans’ growth and strategic direction. The appointment comes after Vans clocked a 14% dive in sales for the recently ended fourth quarter, for total sales of $857 million.

More recently, parent company VF Corp. appointed ​Bracken Darrell to the role of CEO of the U.S. apparel company. ​Since the departure of emblematic CEO Steve Rendle at the end of 2022, after several difficult months, VF Corp, owner of The North Face, Vans, Timberland, Dickies and Supreme, had been looking for a new boss.