Patagonia Names Outdoor Veteran Amanda Calder-McLaren as EMEA Marketing & Impact Head

Patagonia has appointed industry veteran Amanda Calder-McLaren as its new Senior Director of Marketing and Impact for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA). In this newly created leadership role, the California-based outdoor brand aims to bridge the gap between its brand storytelling and its environmental and social activism.

Calder-McLaren, who officially stepped into the role on April 13, 2026, will be based at Patagonia’s European headquarters in Amsterdam.

A Unified Vision for Brand and Impact

The creation of this role signals a strategic shift for Patagonia in the EMEA region. Rather than treating marketing and corporate responsibility as separate departments, Calder-McLaren is tasked with "uniting storytelling and action." She will oversee how the brand communicates its core values and how those values are translated into tangible environmental and social impact work.

“This role will bring greater focus to how Patagonia builds its brand and drives impact as a responsible business in EMEA, recognizing that the two are inseparable,” said Nina Hajikhanian, General Manager, EMEA at Patagonia. “Amanda is a storyteller driven by purpose... and a leadership approach rooted in community.”

A Return to the Outdoors

Calder-McLaren’s appointment marks a high-profile return to the outdoor sector after a brief stint in luxury fashion. Most recently, she served as the Global Marketing Lead and VP of Brand Communications at Hugo Boss from July 2025 through March 2026. Prior to that, she was the Chief Marketing Officer at the U.K.-based sportswear brand Montirex.

Her deepest roots, however, are in the technical outdoor world. She spent nearly seven years at The North Face, where she served as the Senior Director of Brand Marketing for the EMEA region. Her career also includes experience with major athletic and tech brands including Adidas Terrex, Technogym, and Wahoo.

“Patagonia stands apart because it proves that profit and responsibility can work in harmony,” Calder-McLaren said of her appointment. “It's not anti-growth but anti-greed—and that ethos is what I respect so deeply. The outdoors has shaped my life, and I’m proud to join Patagonia as a custodian of the brand.”

Beyond the Boardroom

Calder-McLaren is widely recognized in the industry not just for her marketing acumen, but for her advocacy. She is a founding member and former Chair of Opening Up The Outdoors (OUTO), a European collective focused on dismantling systemic barriers to inclusion in outdoor spaces.

A native of London, Calder-McLaren is relocating to Amsterdam from Switzerland with her husband and two children. An avid skier and mountain enthusiast, she has often credited her time in nature as the central pillar of both her personal life and professional philosophy.

With this move, Patagonia reinforces its "business as unusual" model, betting that a unified marketing and impact strategy is the key to navigating the increasingly complex retail and environmental landscape of 2026.