Jim Weber will step down as CEO of Brooks Running Company this Spring after 23 years in the position. Dan Sheridan, company president and chief operating officer, will succeed Weber as CEO, effective April 26, 2024.
Weber joined Brooks’ Board of Directors in 1999 and was named CEO in 2001, establishing its long-term strategy and focus on performance run and leading the company to steadily execute against the brand’s purpose for over two decades. As a result, over Weber’s tenure, Brooks grew from the verge of bankruptcy to a billion-dollar brand and a leader in the highly competitive global running category.
“It has been a privilege and an honor to serve as Brooks CEO for the past 23 years. I am incredibly proud of all Brooks has accomplished in my time here, the foundations we’ve built and the position Brooks is in to continue its growth in 2024 and beyond,” said Weber. “Dan’s 25-year journey at Brooks has prepared him well for the CEO role. In addition to his broad-ranging functional expertise, Dan consistently leads with a customer-first mindset and people-centric operating mode, which have always been a success formula for Brooks.”
Sheridan, an SGB Media 40 Under 40 honoree in 2009 when he was director of national accounts at Brooks, will assume the position as a proven Brooks leader, having worked in roles across many disciplines and garnering a track record for cross-functional success.
Sheridan joined Brooks in 1998, was named COO in 2019, and was promoted to president and COO in 2022. In recent years, Sheridan drove the evolution of Brooks’ strategy, scaling its business model, guiding its supply chain and operations, and accelerating the brand’s digital transformation to adeptly navigate headwinds and execute its multichannel strategy to reach runners where they shop.
“I have had the greatest opportunity to work and learn alongside Jim for most of my career at Brooks,” said Sheridan. “Together with the rest of our global team, we’ve created a great business, a winning workplace culture and a brand that matters to runners and partners all over the world. I’m humbled and excited to lead the Brooks team and look forward to building on our momentum.”
Brooks was founded as a standalone Berkshire Hathaway, Inc. operating subsidiary by Warren Buffett in 2012 and reportedly flourished under the leadership of Weber and the Brooks team. Berkshire Hathaway Vice Chairman Greg Abel offered his support for this next leadership chapter for Brooks.
“Jim and the Brooks team have done an exceptional job building a meaningful business and brand,” said Abel. “Dan’s journey and leadership ensures a continued path of success.”
For more from Dan Sheridan, including last year’s annual catch up conversation with SGB Media go here.
Brooks’ investment in developing a strong team, a compelling workplace culture, and thoughtful succession plans have resulted in a deep bench of talent.
In addition to Sheridan’s appointment to CEO, Matt Dodge, VP and managing director of Brooks International will become president and COO, effective August 1, 2024. Dodge will return to the brand’s global headquarters in Seattle, WA, after growing Brooks’ business and team in the Europe, Middle East, Africa (EMEA), Asia Pacific, and Latin America (APLA) regions for the last five years.
Dodge joined Brooks in 2013 as associate general counsel and has served as VP general counsel, VP of HR and managing director of Brooks International in his decade-long career with the company. His intentional approach to building integrated, customer-focused plans across disciplines, teams and regions will serve Brooks well as he leads Brooks’ global growth.
Brooks will announce a new leader for the EMEA based in Amsterdam in the coming months.
Several other leadership appointments have strengthened Brooks’ organization in recent months to support global growth, including Carson Caprara, who joined the brand in 2005 and was promoted to SVP of footwear in May 2023 to lead all footwear design, development, product management and merchandising. Christophe Mahaut was also promoted in May 2023 to SVP of supply chain operations to lead global operations and strengthen Brooks’ end-to-end systems from factory to customer. In early 2024, Brooks named Gabriel Rodriguez as VP of apparel and accessories to lead design, development, product management, and merchandising for Brooks’ global apparel business, while Katie Carlson, who joined the Brooks HR team in 2012, was promoted to SVP, chief HR officer to further the brand’s investment in its employees and workplace culture.
Images courtesy Brooks Running Company
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Spring 2023 Q&A with Dan Sheridan
Spring 2022 Q&A with Dan Sheridan
