Dr Martens has appointed former Burberry executive Katie Morton as its new global customer director.
Morton will join the business on 26 October and report to chief brand officer Carla Murphy, taking responsibility for strengthening Dr Martens’ customer strategy globally.
She will also join the footwear brand’s leadership team, with a focus on using consumer insight and experience to drive brand relevance, loyalty and long-term growth.
Morton brings more than two decades of experience across fashion, luxury and retail, including more than 17 years at Burberry.
She was a founding member of the luxury fashion house’s digital team and went on to hold several senior global roles, most recently serving as global vice president of online to offline, where she led Burberry’s omnichannel strategy across five regions.
Morton has since worked as an independent consultant, advising brands including Fortnum & Mason on customer strategy, transformation and international growth.
Murphy said Morton had an “outstanding track record helping some of the world’s most iconic brands better understand and serve their consumers”.
She added that the appointment represented another step in strengthening the capabilities needed to deliver Dr Martens’ ‘Levers for Growth’ strategy.
This follows a string of senior hires at the footwear retailer, including Isadora Versiani as global product design director and Nadia Svensson as global merchandising and product director.
Dr Martens has been reshaping its operating model as it looks to move from a channel-led to a consumer-first business and return the brand to sustainable growth.
It reported a 61 per cent jump in adjusted pre-tax profit to £55m for its latest financial year, despite revenue falling 2.9 per cent to £764.9m, as it reduced its reliance on discounting and clearance activity.
Chief executive Ije Nwokorie said in May that the business would enter the “scale” phase of its turnaround strategy during its current financial year, with increased investment in the brand and targeted upgrades to its store estate.
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