Xero Shoes names VP of product development

Xero Shoes, which manufactures comfortable, lightweight, performance and casual footwear, has named John Wadley as vice president of product development.

Wadley joins Xero Shoes from VF Corp.’s Altra brand, where he was director of product innovation and sustainability. In his new role, Wadley will lead Xero Shoes’ product development staff, liaising with product design, product management and operational counterparts to continue innovating the brand’s growing line of barefoot-inspired footwear.

In a statement, Xero Shoes said that Wadley brings “extensive knowledge and experience in performance running, trail running, and hiking shoe construction,” which will build on Xero Shoes’ mission of providing life-changing footwear based on “foot first” designs.

Commenting on his new appointment, Wadley said: “Xero Shoes is growing at an impressive rate, and I’m excited to inject fresh, innovative ideas and solutions to capture new and retain existing customers who love natural movement.

“The brand has so much potential and I’m looking forward to using my expertise in product development and innovation to elevate their classic and new footwear styles.”

Dennis Driscoll, chief product officer at Xero Shoes, added: “We’re excited to welcome John to Xero Shoes where he will be a great addition to the Product Creation team. He brings a ‘can do’ spirit and has experience successfully navigating the type of rapid growth Xero Shoes has been experiencing.”