Stefano Caroti
President and chief executive of Deckers Brands
Stefano Caroti is the president and chief executive of Deckers Brands, the American footwear group behind HOKA, a role he has held since 1 August 2024. A commercial and omnichannel specialist, he previously led HOKA as interim president, ran Deckers' omnichannel division and held senior roles at PUMA and Nike.
| Role | President and chief executive of Deckers Brands |
|---|---|
| Organisation | Deckers Brands |
| Since | 1 August 2024 |
| Predecessor | Dave Powers |
| Earlier | PUMA, Nike |
| Education | BA, Middlebury College |
Who is Stefano Caroti?
Stefano Caroti is the chief executive of Deckers Brands, the listed footwear and apparel company whose portfolio includes the running brand HOKA. He succeeded Dave Powers, who retired, on 1 August 2024 and joined the Deckers board in September 2024. He has more than 30 years of experience across general management, sales, retail, product, marketing, strategy and brand leadership.
Career
Caroti holds a BA with honours from Middlebury College. His career has been spent at three of the most important companies in athletic footwear:
- Nike: vice president of EMEA commerce, overseeing wholesale, retail and e-commerce across the region, plus roles in footwear and as general manager for Germany and Italy
- August 2008 to December 2014: chief commercial officer and managing director at PUMA, directing global wholesale, retail, e-commerce and regional operations
- November 2015 to April 2023: president of the omnichannel division at Deckers
- June 2022 to February 2024: interim president of HOKA
- April 2023 to July 2024: chief commercial officer of Deckers
- Since 1 August 2024: president and chief executive of Deckers Brands
The board announced his appointment in February 2024, giving the company a planned transition of around six months from Powers. Board chairman Mike Devine welcomed him into the role.
Influence on the fashion business
Caroti took charge of Deckers at a time when performance running footwear had become a major growth area of the sportswear market. His period as interim president of HOKA, from 2022 to 2024, placed him directly in charge of the group's running brand before he moved up to run the whole company.
His career also mirrors a broader shift in the footwear business from wholesale led distribution to a balance between wholesale partners and brands' own stores and websites. At Nike, PUMA and Deckers his responsibilities consistently combined wholesale, retail and e-commerce, which is now the standard shape of a commercial leadership role in sportswear.
Stefano Caroti and technology
Caroti's documented responsibilities have included e-commerce at every stage of his career: across EMEA at Nike, globally at PUMA, and as president of the omnichannel division at Deckers for more than seven years, where he was responsible for connecting the group's direct to consumer channels.
Why it matters
Stefano Caroti leads a footwear group at the centre of the market for performance and lifestyle running shoes. As a chief executive who came up through commercial and omnichannel roles rather than product design, he is a clear example of how distribution expertise has become a route to the top in footwear and sportswear.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the CEO of Deckers Brands?
Stefano Caroti has been president and chief executive of Deckers Brands since 1 August 2024, succeeding Dave Powers. He previously served as the company's chief commercial officer and as interim president of HOKA.
Where did Stefano Caroti work before Deckers?
Before joining Deckers in 2015 he was chief commercial officer and managing director at PUMA from 2008 to 2014, and earlier held senior roles at Nike, including vice president of EMEA commerce.