Rothy’s is beefing up its executive team with two senior footwear veterans.
The footwear company has named former Converse and Vans exec Phil Russo as senior vice president of design and innovation. Adidas and On alum Salym North is joining the brand as vice president of product development and production. Both Russo and North will report to Rothy’s chief executive officer Dayna Quanbeck.
In a statement to FN, Quanbeck said the move is an effort to evolve Rothy’s product, gain new opportunities and build with “greater precision and scale.”
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“We’ve always believed great product starts with strong leadership across design, innovation and production,” Quanbeck said. “Bringing Phil and Salym onto the team strengthens our bench at a pivotal moment for the brand. We’re excited about what this next chapter makes possible for Rothy’s.”
Russo joins Rothy’s from Vans, where he served as chief design and innovation officer, and led design innovation across multiple categories, brand collaborations, digital product creation and founded the Vans Innovation Workshop.
Previously, Russo was global vice president of design and innovation and creative director at Converse, shaping the brand’s global product direction, innovation strategy, and creative vision. Earlier in his career, he led creative design teams at Puma, Fila, Cole Haan and Asics. In 2015, he cofounded Scull & Sweep, a modern rowing brand known for best-in-class rowing apparel and accessories.
Russo told FN that he was “drawn” to Rothy’s because of its unique origin story and enduring culture of innovation.
“I’m excited to build on that authentic foundation by advancing design that thoughtfully intersects sustainability, style and functionality in ways that feel emotionally compelling for today’s consumer,” Russo said. “This is a pivotal moment for the brand — one where we can create even more space for deep innovation across product design, material science and construction, color theory, exploration and risk taking. There’s a real opportunity for Rothy’s to lead, and design will play a central role in shaping that future.”
North joined Rothy’s from Adidas, where she served as senior director of product development and operations. While at Adidas, she helped grow one of the company’s fastest-expanding product segments and led product creation across lifestyle and performance categories, including luxury and designer collaborations. Previously, she served as head of product, materials, research and development, and global sourcing at On Running.
Earlier in her career, she held product leadership roles at VF Corp. across brands including Vans and The North Face. She also held senior product development positions across DC Shoes, Quicksilver and Roxy.
“What stood out to me immediately about Rothy’s was the people and the culture,” North added. “There’s a genuine commitment to building better products and doing it the right way. I’m excited to help scale that vision by bringing global product leadership across development, materials and production, while continuing to elevate fit, comfort and durability through thoughtful innovation. There’s a real opportunity to build the next phase of Rothy’s product platform by expanding more responsible production methods and creating shoes that feel incredible, perform in real life and become the pair people reach for every day.”