Former Puma CEO Bjorn Gulden Appointed as CEO at adidas

There’s been a lot of change on the cards for adidas over the past couple of months. Having recently dropped Ye from its list of collaborators, and announcing the departure of its CEO Kasper Rorsted back in August, the 3-Stripes has seen its expected revenue and its stock price take a significant hit. Still, it’s looking like the ship could be about to steady, as former Puma CEO Bjorn Gulden is set to take the helm early next year.

The rumour mill went into overdrive on Friday 4th November, when Puma announced that its current CCO, Arne Freundt, would take the reigns as the company’s CEO in January after Gulden’s contract expired. It was later confirmed by adidas that Gulden would be joining the 3-Stripes from the 1st of January, 2023. It will not be Gulden's first experience working with the brand, as he was Senior Vice President of apparel and accessories there during the 1990s.

In an official statement, adidas Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Thomas Rabe, said: "We are very pleased to welcome Bjørn Gulden back at adidas. Bjørn Gulden brings almost 30 years of experience in the sporting goods and footwear industry. As a result, he knows the industry extremely well and draws on a rich network in sport and retail. Bjørn Gulden already served adidas successfully for seven years in the 1990s. As CEO of Puma, he re-invigorated the brand and led the company to record results. The supervisory board of Adidas is convinced that Bjørn Gulden will lead Adidas into a new era of strength and is looking very much forward to a successful cooperation."

The move looks to be good for adidas as shares rose by nearly 20% when the rumours first surfaced, so keep it locked to The Sole Supplier for more as the story develops.

Up next, adidas has dropped its collection with Balenciaga.