Sports company PUMA will appoint Maria Valdes (38) as Chief Product Officer and a Member of the Board of Management effective January 1, 2023.
In her new role, Maria, who is currently the General Manager of PUMA’s largest business unit Sportstyle, will be responsible for the business units Sportstyle, Motorsport, Teamsport, Running/Training, Basketball and Accessories. She will also oversee the creative direction of the brand and the go-to-market strategy of the company.
“As General Manager of our Sportstyle business unit, Maria has demonstrated a strong product expertise, a great service attitude towards our retail partners and a deep knowledge of our target consumer”, said Arne Freundt, Chief Executive Officer at PUMA. “I am convinced that her positive energy and relentless pursuit in pushing things forward make her the ideal candidate for this new role.”
Maria has been with PUMA since 2010 and worked as Senior Head of Product Line Management Footwear before becoming General Manager Sportstyle in 2019. Before her time at PUMA, she worked in product development and marketing for both L’Oréal and Inditex.
Starting January 1, 2023, PUMA’s Board of Management will consist of four members, including Arne Freundt (CEO), Hubert Hinterseher (Chief Financial Officer), and Anne-Laure Descours (Chief Sourcing Officer).
