A senior executive with 25 years of global experience at Nike, including as Chief Sustainability Officer, Kinder brings invaluable expertise in sustainability, innovation strategy, and global operations.

Kinder’s appointment to UNCAGED’s board marks a significant milestone in the company’s growth. Known for his leadership in sustainability at Nike, Kinder’s diverse career has spanned multiple roles and geographies, including serving as General Manager for Nike Vietnam. During his tenure, Kinder drove an enterprise materials innovations strategy specifically aimed at scaling sustainable alternatives to widely used commodity materials. He also oversaw the transformation of Nike’s environmental operations across 550 factories in 42 countries and drove collaboration with governments, NGOs, academia, and media to advance industry-wide sustainability practices.

Kinder’s extensive knowledge of global manufacturing, particularly in Asia, aligns with UNCAGED’s strategic plans to expand its production capabilities in the region. Kinder also brings a profound understanding of global fashion brands and industry dynamics which will be instrumental in driving the next phase of UNCAGED’s growth into footwear, a sector responsible for more than 50% of global leather consumption.

Noel Kinder, Advisory Board Member at UNCAGED Innovations, said: “Decarbonizing the footwear and apparel industries begins with finding innovative alternatives to traditional commodity materials. What drew me to UNCAGED is its ground-breaking technology and world-first approach to creating high-quality leather alternatives at scale. Throughout my career, I’ve encountered fascinating materials in this space, but many are still in development. UNCAGED is already operating at a commercial level — a critical factor in driving meaningful impact — and I’m excited to help guide the company as it continues to expand its influence globally.”

Stephanie Downs, CEO and Co-Founder of UNCAGED Innovations, said: “We’re thrilled to welcome Noel to our board. He has extensive experience working with global fashion brands and his expertise in sustainability and global operations makes him an invaluable appointment as we enter the next phase of our growth.  This is such an exciting time for us as a company and 2025 is set to be our biggest year yet, so we are thrilled to have welcomed Noel on board.”