Summary - Fuqua in Focus: Charlene Patten MBA '95

Meet alumni of Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business through conversations—some live and some recorded—with members of the school’s Alumni Council. Hear firsthand how these alumni applied what they learned as Fuqua students to their careers and lives after graduation. All conversations will be recorded and available online afterward.

Join us for a live conversation on Wednesday, September 9, 2026 at 12pm Eastern. Suggested questions can be submitted during the registration process and by the audience during the live virtual conversation.

Want to suggest a Fuqua alumna/us to be interviewed? Write to us at alumni-relations@fuqua.duke.edu. Be certain to include their full name and why you think they would make an interesting conversation.

Charlene is a strategic marketing and innovation expert with a proven track record of building iconic brands, driving P&L growth, and leading transformational growth across global markets.

As a General Manager and Chief Marketing Officer, she has honed her skills while leading some of the most iconic brands around the world, including $1B+ brands Folgers Coffee Co, Gillette Venus, and Pantene, as well as underdogs Clairol Herbal Essences, Clairol nice ’n easy, and the 375-year-old Fiskars.

With experience spanning the U.S., Europe, Latin America, China, and Asia Pacific, Charlene has led numerous award-winning campaigns and new product launches including 2022 Cannes and Clios Winners and 2021 Top 20 TikTok Culture Driver and Nielsen Breakthrough and IRI Pacesetter Top 20 Non-Food Launches in 2019, 2017, and 2015.

She was recognized as a Top 100 Women Decision-Makers in Finnish Businesses in both 2021 and 2022.

Her leadership strengths include:

Brand-Building & Brand Soul — Leads global brands to deliver stakeholder value by optimizing business strategy and finding unexpected, insightful ways to express the brand that resonate with retailers and consumers.

Strategy & Innovation — Brings fresh, creative thinking to develop focused strategies and build the needed capabilities that rally the organization and position the company for competitive advantage.

Inspiring Leadership — Leads teams to unprecedented success with deep understanding that every encounter is an opportunity to cultivate belonging. Leads with grace and compassion, creating psychological safety to drive transformation.

Charlene holds an MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, where she was recognized as a Fuqua Scholar, the school’s highest academic honor. She earned her BS in Hotel Administration from Cornell University and completed the AI Applications for Growth Certificate through Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.

As a seasoned management consulting executive and passionate problem-solver, Kristin brings over two decades of experience driving global business transformation, strategic growth, and leadership development across Fortune 10 and 50 companies in financial services, telecom, pharmaceuticals, oil & gas, and technology.

Throughout her career, she has led multi-million-dollar initiatives, designed go-to-market strategies, and implemented organizational and financial transformations that measurably improve performance. Highlights include:

Driving a capital improvement project for a $300M division of a leading oil & gas company that decreased capital employed by 35% in 9 months and improved Return on Capital from -42% to 15%.
Recruiting, managing, and developing a team of 45 consultants generating over $15M in annual revenue.
Designing and facilitating a global virtual conference for Janssen Pharmaceuticals, engaging executives in strategic planning sessions during COVID lockdowns.
Developing go-to-market strategies, organization structures, and compensation programs for new ventures in telecommunications.
Fostering development through leadership programs like Girls on the Run Atlanta, impacting over 3,000 girls and overseeing strategic growth initiatives.

Kristin holds an MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, and she earned her BA in Journalism from Penn State University.