Matt Taylor, co-founder and former CEO of Tracksmith, has left the company, according to published reports confirmed by the brand on Tuesday.
The move comes just over nine months after Taylor stepped aside in January into a newly created chief creative officer role while former Converse chief Jared Carver took over as the brand’s CEO. Tracksmith also confirmed that Matt Pauk, its head of product, left the brand in August.
In a message addressed to the brand’s subscriber community, Carver clarified that running will still be at the core of Tracksmith’s cultural and business strategy, but also pointed out that the company is “evolving.”
“Since stepping into the CEO role, I’ve spent a lot of time listening to our team, our athletes and runners across our community,” Carver said. “I came to Tracksmith with enormous respect for what has been built here and with a clear understanding of the responsibility that comes with leading a brand that means so much to you all.”
But Carver verified Taylor’s exit in his post, telling members that his mission is to shape the next phase of the company’s transformation.
“As part of this next chapter, Matt Taylor, Tracksmith’s founder, has transitioned out of his role with the company,” Carver said. “Matt’s vision and leadership were instrumental in creating Tracksmith and shaping the brand we know today and we’re incredibly grateful for everything he’s contributed over the past decade. My focus is on building upon that foundation while evolving Tracksmith for the future.”
The timing of Taylor leaving comes just over a week after Tracksmith named longtime Converse executive Jon Tappan as its new chief product and merchandising officer. Tappan will be responsible for leading an aggressive push into Tracksmith’s existing footwear ambitions, and grow far beyond apparel.
He is set to work directly with design and development teams to strengthen the product roadmap, tighten the bond between footwear and apparel and source out how Tracksmith can boost its presence in its core categories. Tappan will also oversee the company’s retail revamp, with the stores continuing to serve as places to gather for community events and activations.
Meanwhile, Taylor walks away from the Boston-based sportswear maker that he co-founded with Luke Scheybeler in 2014, with distinct apparel design that evoked unmistakable New England heritage collegiate sports aesthetic. Both brought extensive experience into shaping Tracksmith, with Taylor previously working at Puma and Scheybeler co-founding cycling brand Rapha in 2004.
But by late last year, change within Tracksmith was already in motion and Carver would arrive in January intent on applying overhaul tactics that would be critical to the brand’s expansion. After leaving as Converse president and CEO after three years, Carver touted his passion for “mission-driven brands,” while Taylor admitted he had ceded responsibilities at Tracksmith to others and finally backed away as CEO.
“Over the last few years, I’ve strategically turned over parts of the day-to-day management and broader business direction to trusted members of my senior leadership team who have been pivotal to our most recent phase of growth,” Taylor said at the time.
Tracksmith launched its first running shoe in late 2022 with the Eliot Runner and has boosted the lineup with the performance-focused Eliot Racer and Eliot Ryder, a stacked daily trainer.
