Dive Brief:

• Longtime Nike executive Emma Minto is joining comfort footwear brand Crocs as senior vice president and general manager, overseeing all operations for the Americas, Crocs said Monday.

• Minto spent 16 years at Nike in various leadership roles, most recently as vice president and general manager of Nike Women's, North America, according to a Crocs press release.

• Crocs estimates that its full-year 2020 revenue is up more than 12% to a record $1.38 billion, more than its previous expectation for growth between 5% to 7%, per the release.

Dive Insight:

There may not be two brands less alike than athletic powerhouse Nike and uber-comfort Crocs, but both are among the few apparel and footwear winners during the pandemic.

Demand for anything that might have been required or desired for office work or special outings is down to a trickle as activewear and leisure goods dominate. The shift to wearing more casual clothing than might have been tolerated at such settings in decades past was well under way — teenagers were wearing Crocs to prom, for example — but the pandemic has intensified it.

It remains to be seen how many consumers will want to slide out of those comfortable shoes and into something more formal, once the pandemic is finally over and they can go out again. But Crocs is expecting its momentum to build, saying Monday that it now predicts revenue this year will rise 20% to 25%.

"Anyone paying attention knows that Crocs' brand and business have never been stronger, and there's plenty of room for continued growth," Minto said in a statement Monday. "I'm excited to join this incredible team and 'come as you are' culture, bringing the joy of comfort technologies and personalization to consumers everywhere."