Chris Davis is the Global Brand President & Chief Marketing Officer at New Balance, the only privately held major athletic brand in the world. He is responsible for leading the New Balance brand and the organization’s global partnerships, product architecture, merchandising, and brand marketing initiatives across 130 countries. As a member of the senior leadership team since 2016, Davis led the transformation from a product company to pinnacle global brand with positioning as ‘the best, not the biggest.’ Through his vision, New Balance doubled revenues from 2020-2024 as a result of unprecedented global relevancy and consumer demand, and leads the organization confidently on its strategic roadmap. Embracing New Balance’s legacy as the ultimate challenger brand, Davis has upheld its motto: 'Fearlessly Independent since 1906’.
Davis has catalyzed new sport category expansion and pioneered a unique co-authored approach to partnerships, forging industry-leading relationships with some of the most notable figures in sports, entertainment, and luxury. Davis has negotiated deals with organizations like the NBA, WNBA and MLB, as well as global stars like Coco Gauff, Shohei Ohtani, Kawhi Leonard, Cooper Flagg, Bukayo Saka, Sydney McLaughlin, Rosalia and Jack Harlow. In the world of luxury, he has steered macro strategic global collaborative partnerships with houses including the Prada Group, the Moncler Group and LVMH.
In 2023 and 2024, Davis was recognized by Forbes as the world’s 12th and 8th most influential CMO, respectively. Davis was recognized by Forbes among the 50 Most Entrepreneurial CMOs in Marketing, and chosen by Glossy as one of the top 20 Marketers in Beauty & Fashion in their inaugural list, and is in the 2023 class of Leaders in Sport 40 under 40. He serves on several boards, including Rival and Klutch Athletics, and is involved in planning for the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Boston. Passionate about community give-back, Davis serves on non-profit boards such as the Play Ball Foundation and Boston Children's Hospital. He is also deeply involved in animal welfare organizations and is a trustee of the New Balance Foundation.