PepsiCo appoints Kalen Thornton, formerly at Nike, as chief marketing officer of Gatorade.
Previously, Thornton served as the North American VP men’s brand management at Nike. He joined Nike nearly 10 years ago. He also played linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys in the early 2000s.
“Kalen brings over a decade of experience leading breakthrough, athlete-centric marketing strategies. His extensive knowledge of the industry and background working with some of the most elite athletes in the world will help push Gatorade’s mission of fueling athletic performance in new and exciting ways,” Brett O’Brien, SVP and general manager at Gatorade, said in a statement. “He shares our commitment to putting the athlete at the core of everything we do, and we’re thrilled to welcome him to the Gatorade team.”
Thornton said in a statement, “It’s a privilege to join a brand like Gatorade that has such a rich backstory and unwavering commitment to leveraging science-based innovation to fuel athletes everywhere. I look forward to working alongside the great minds at Gatorade to continue to grow the brand and help athletes stay at the top of their game.”
He replaces Andrew Hartshorn, who is now at Danone.
