Mary Mohamadi’s built a career off the ability to clearly see a company from both the bird’s-eye and worm’s-eye view before distilling loads of information into actionable game plans.

That career path has taken her from a UC Irvine dual degree in economics and international studies to Sole Tech, Oakley, Vans, and now back to Oakley. There, she’s employing her past experiences across corporate and brand strategy, business plan development, and consumer insights in her role as vice president of global product strategy for optics.

Getting into the industry seemed inevitable given Mohamadi’s roots.

“I was born and raised in San Diego, the child of immigrants, and introduced in junior high into action sports,” Mohamadi recalled. “So, I did grow up surfing and skiing and snowboarding. I’m not a team sports type of person at all. When I went to college, I learned Orange County was the epicenter of action sports, so I just knew I wanted to work in the action sports industry.”

One could say the strategist in her runs in the family.

“At the time (in college), I was not familiar with how strategic planning groups worked,” Mohamadi. “But my father worked in strategy, so I knew those groups at least existed. I learned an organization had to be of a certain size to merit a strategy team – companies like Nike, Adidas, and Puma had them – but they were never brands that I was attracted to because I always associated them with team sports.”

Foot in the Door

Mohamadi, a clear people person, had a friend working at Sole Technology who informed her of an open position at the company.

At the time, she lacked practical work experience and was armed only with a college degree – a tough sell in an industry built by entrepreneurial drive and a dislike for corporate handbooks.

Still, Mohamadi got her foot in the door in 2004 first as a financial analyst, spearheading the revamp of the company’s U.S. returns policy and the creation of a more than 70-page standard operating procedure aimed at trimming costs and creating efficiencies.

“Paul Amante (now at Amer Sports) was my first boss,” Mohamadi said. “He allowed me to not have a traditional analyst type job. He allowed me a lot of flexibility to drive bigger projects that impacted the company.”

At the time, the Sole Tech business was on an upward trajectory.

“Paul was always encouraging me to think differently, think bigger – even though I didn’t know formal strategy,” she said.

Mohamadi’s interest in brands led her to be named marketing analyst at Sole Tech two years later. In that role, she helped develop the company’s $40 million annual marketing plan among several other accomplishments.

“I love storytelling and the Mad Men vibe is something that’s always captivated me,” Mohamadi said. “So, with the move to marketing, I was able to use my finance knowledge as well as partner with different leaders in the marketing team.”

Moving to Oakley

Sole Tech provided a great foundation, but when a friend at Oakley flagged an open position on the eyewear company’s strategy team for Mohamadi, she jumped at the chance to apply.

“I loved the vibe of Oakley, just being so eccentric in their language and so clear on their brand and who they were,” Mohamadi said.

She nabbed an interview Nov. 4, 2008 and remembered it being one of her most challenging experiences.

Not only was she interviewing with what she saw as an intimidating group of former consultants from firms such as Bain, but the waiting room of other job hopefuls was filled with applicants who had gone to prestigious academic institutions. The competition was fierce.

Mohamadi met with multiple people from the team and was tested on various sample scenarios. When she met with Chris Donnelly, the then-SVP of global product and global strategy, he had her pause midway through the interview. He suggested she slow down and think before she spoke.

“My eyes filled with tears because here was a job I had always wanted, I’m finally at the plate with the bat and I get chopped by the VP of the group,” she said. “So, I leave the building. I still remember it like it was yesterday. I got home and cried hysterically.”

She filed the experience away as a lost opportunity. Then Mohamadi got the call from Oakley – she got the job.

“I learned a tremendous amount the first few years,” Mohamadi said.

The strategy team reported to then-CEO Scott Olivet and was responsible for creating the company’s three-year business plans, which encompassed all functions, along with initiatives to drive growth.

“It’s everything and anything you could possibly imagine,” Mohamadi said. “You’re in a protected space because you’re working on the most sacred aspects of the business, which is why they’re looking for people who are tough and resilient. It has to be perfect, methodical.”

She credits Olga Suttner, her former boss and current VP of strategy at Liberated Brands, with playing a huge part in shaping her into the leader she is today.

“She is just magnificent, and I learned so much under her,” Mohamadi said of Suttner.

During the eight years at Oakley, Mohamadi served in strategic planning, consumer insights, and director of new category development roles, moving as the company’s priorities morphed and evolved. Among the projects she oversaw was the launch of the road cycling category.

Helping Vans Own Custom

When a position on Vans’ strategic agility group opened, Mohamadi threw her name into the mix. Old Skools had been part of her junior high and high school uniforms, so working in a newly created sub-group within strategy was intriguing.

Mohamadi was hired as director of strategic agility in 2017, beating out a group of around 30 other candidates, mostly men, for the position.

This group handled complex projects that were the most difficult to solve and involved seeing a project all the way through.

“The only criticism I have of being a strategy guru in the first place is your time is so valuable,” she said. “In strategy, your time is divided in projects. You come in like a SWAT force and go from ‘How do I pronounce this?’ to a seasoned expert who can spar with people who have been doing it for decades. But it’s short lived. Your role is to deliver that to the business leader and move on. It’s their job to actually implement the change.”

While at Vans, she focused on the custom offering and the company’s desire to make it synonymous with the brand, working directly with then-Global Brand President Doug Palladini.

Oakley Homecoming – Taking on a Function Leadership Role

But, after a year at Vans, Mohamadi missed Oakley, the fast pace there, and the complexity of the organization.

Although the business had gone through a series of layoffs, the same culture and work ethic was still there. And, while the strategy team had long ago disbanded, Mohamadi was now being offered the opportunity to put the past 15 years to the test as vice president of global product for Oakley Optics. She was 36, and it was time to take the next step.

“I thought, I get to test my worth and see if all my skills I’ve had (in strategy) can translate into a functional, leadership role,” she said of why the position made sense.

She accepted a senior director role, which was elevated to VP before her arrival. She later learned that her new Oakley boss had made the announcement of her return and polled her soon-to-be colleagues on whether the VP title would help her be successful in her new role. They unanimously voted to make her VP, all before she had set foot back in the door.

“That was one of the most humbling things to hear that a group of my peers, mostly men that had been with the company for ages, saw the value that I could provide and agreed to elevate the role for me,” Mohamadi said.

Her first year on the job she reversed what had been a negative sales trend and did the same the second year before COVID hit.

Mohamadi’s group was the first out of the entire EssilorLuxottica portfolio to postpone product launches, delaying about 75% of new releases in that first year of the pandemic. She and her team had quickly realized, with the onset of the pandemic and shelter-in-place orders, that consumers weren’t ready for new product and neither were their retail partners.

It was a smart move that set the business up nicely for coming out of the pandemic and the years ahead.

“That (decision) created a ripe opportunity in ’21, post-COVID, for us to have record-breaking growth and we’ve done so in the past three years for my categories, coupled with the entire brand,” Mohamadi said.

In August, she’ll celebrate six years back at One Icon. Oakley Optics, an under $1.5 billion business, has notched record-breaking sales over the past three years under Mohamadi’s watch.

“Oakley’s a brand that’s pretty quiet on the industry side,” Mohamadi said. “But the past few years have been pretty remarkable in what we’ve been able to achieve.”

Key Colleagues Along the Way

Paul Amante

Currently: Amer Sports Corp. director of credit management, North America and EMEA

Former: Sole Technology group manager of credit, collections and compliance

“Fresh out of college, entering the professional world can be daunting. Fortunately, my introduction was under the mentorship of Paul Amante, my first boss. Paul is a beacon of brilliance, encouragement, and courage. His support for my curiosity and his nurturing of my drive for change were invaluable. Beyond his competence as a leader, Paul possesses an unparalleled charm—I’ve often said he could sell ice to an Eskimo. His influence on my early career is immeasurable, and his charismatic leadership remains a benchmark of excellence in my professional journey.”

Chris Donnelly

Currently: Investor and advisor to TopFlight Ventures

Former: Oakley SVP of Global Product and Global Strategy

“By far, one of the smartest people I’ve ever had the benefit of working with.”

Steve Holley

Currently: Member of several boards, including KUIU, Me & My Big Ideas, and Bright Uro; consumer growth advisor at Balboa Advisors

Former: Oakley SVP of Global Product and Global Strategy

“…under Steve Holley’s mentorship at Oakley, I learned the importance of relentless focus and strategic agility. His ability to seamlessly navigate between diverse topics while upholding the gold standard of excellence inspired me to approach challenges with both precision and creativity.”

Olga Suttner

Currently: Liberated Brands VP of Strategy

Former: Oakley VP of Consumer Experience

“Olga’s mentorship transcended boundaries; she imparted invaluable knowledge & intellect, leading by example with unwavering integrity. Her commitment to excellence set a high standard that I, to this day, aspire to emulate. Olga’s character shines as a true role model, she is undeniably one of the finest individuals I’ve had the privilege to know. She is in a class of her own; her magic is in elevating all those around her.”

Doug Palladini

Currently: Stance Board of Directors, Consultant, San Diego State University adjunct professor

Former: Vans Global Brand President

“He’s just a brilliant, passionate, considerate, wonderful man. He was one of the first people in the office and one of the last ones to leave. Such a great visionary.”

Federico Buffa

Currently: EssilorLuxottica Chief Marketing Officer

“I transitioned back to Oakley for several reasons, one being Federico Buffa, the chief marketing officer at EssilorLuxottica. Federico’s commitment to supporting strong female voices and leaders resonated with me deeply, aligning with my values and aspirations. At Vans, while Doug and the team at VF Corp. prioritized diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), the opportunity to work closely with Federico and contribute to Oakley’s culture as a change agent drew me back. In my role overseeing Oakley Optics, it’s imperative for me to champion diversity and drive meaningful change, making the decision to return to Oakley an exciting and purpose-driven move.”

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