VF Corporation has roped in Sudhakar Puvvada as Vice President, Global Jeans Innovation Center. In this newly created role, Puvvada will oversee VF’s recently established Jeanswear Innovation Center in Greensboro, NC, where the company focuses on denim advancements to benefit its jeanswear brands, including Wrangler, Lee and 7 For All Mankind, and other brands throughout its portfolio.

Puvvada would be working with leaders in the group’s global jeanswear business to combine existing VF knowledge with the expertise and insights from external partners to build commercialization opportunities for VF brands. His background in both technology and consumer goods will help to empower group’s innovation agenda, which is expected to lead to sustainable, breakthrough innovations for consumers globally.

Puvvada joins VF from Ashland, where he served as Vice President, Technology Platforms. Also, he has worked in a number of research and product development roles in the home and personal care categories, including 14 years at Unilever. Puvvada holds Master of Science and doctorate degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

VF introduced its Innovation Center strategy in 2013 and began to elevate innovation initiatives with existing teams to support key projects. Now, under Puvvada’s leadership, the company will assemble teams of chemists, scientists, engineers and designers for the Innovation Center who will combine their expertise in technology and new materials with VF’s proprietary insights and deep understanding of consumer needs.

www.vfc.com