• Reorganization to improve alignment across key business categories and accelerate decision-making

• Relocation of Brand Management and Marketing Operations from Boston to Herzogenaurach-HQ

• Strengthening of local US marketing team by increased responsibilities

• Richard Teyssier appointed as new Global Brand & Marketing Director

• PUMA CEO Arne Freundt: “With the reorganization of our Global Marketing function we will lay the organizational foundation to relentlessly drive brand elevation as one of our key strategic priorities.“

As part of the implementation of its strategic priorities, German sports company PUMA is reorganizing the global Marketing Organization. The decision lays the organizational foundation for further elevating the PUMA brand, one of the company’s three strategic priorities. Going-forward PUMA’s Global Marketing Organization will be based at the company’s headquarters in Herzogenaurach, Germany to improve alignment and accelerate decision-making with the company’s Global Business Units, Global Go-To-Market function, and Creative Direction. This involves the relocation of the Brand Management and Marketing Operations departments from Boston to Herzogenaurach, effective July 1. At the same time, the marketing organization of PUMA North America will be further strengthened by the assignment of responsibilities for local sports marketing and local partnership management in order to elevate the brand in the US market. 

“PUMA’s brand is at the heart of our company’s success,” said Arne Freundt, CEO of PUMA. “Yet, our analyses clearly show that PUMA has significant opportunities to leverage the full potential of its brand. This is why relentlessly elevating our brand is one of our key strategic priorities. With the Global Marketing Organization being based in proximity to our key central functions at the HQ, we will lay the organizational foundation for this. It will ensure brand consistency and speed up decision-making to further strengthen the PUMA brand and it will make us even more consumer-centric. With the new setup, we will be able to drive more impactful campaigns to further establish our brand in the minds of our consumers.”

In the context of the reorganization, PUMA’s Global Chief Brand Officer Adam Petrick has decided to not transition to Herzogenaurach, but to pursue new challenges outside of PUMA, after over two decades with the brand. He will be with the company until the end of the year to ensure a smooth transition.

PUMA’s Regional General Manager Europe Richard Teyssier will lead the Global Marketing Organization as Global Brand & Marketing Director, effective 1 July 2023. In this role, he will report directly to PUMA CEO Arne Freundt. Richard has broad expertise in brand management and marketing after 17 years in leading Marketing functions at Mars Inc., where he was responsible for some of the company’s most iconic brands, such as M&Ms and TWIX in France prior to joining PUMA in 2010. At PUMA, Richard had been General Manager for the French market until 2021 before assuming responsibility for Central Europe, France, UK & Ireland, Southern Europe, Northern Europe across all channels. He will continue to lead the Region Europe until his successor is announced.

“I would like to thank Adam Petrick for his significant contribution to PUMA’s success during his more than 20-year-tenure with PUMA,” said Arne Freundt. “With Richard Teyssier, we have found the ideal candidate to drive PUMA’s brand elevation strategy in the future. He is not only a true marketing specialist who comes with a strong expertise in brand management. He is also an integral part of our PUMA family and knows the business inside out from his more than 12 years of general management at PUMA France and PUMA Europe.” 

David Lu will further strengthen PUMA China’s top management by replacing Shirley as Commercial Director. He has been with PUMA since March 2023 and has worked in the fashion and sports industry for more than 15 years. Most recently, he worked as the General Manager of Retail Operations at Levi’s.

All of these changes will become effective July 1, 2023.

The Top Employer certification highlights PUMA’s engagement to provide an attractive workplace for its employees.

“Putting our employees, their needs, and goals first has always been our top priority,” says Dietmar Knoess, Global Director of People and Organization at PUMA. “The pandemic is challenging for all of us. However, we will always strive to become better, so we can continue providing a workplace environment that our employees can thrive in.”

The Top Employers Institute certifies companies based on their information in the Human Resources Best Practices survey, which includes six overarching dimensions and 20 areas. This includes talent strategy, personnel planning, onboarding, training & development, performance management, executive development, compensation & benefits and corporate culture among others.

The Institute highlighted PUMA’s policies committing to social and environmental performance, the alignment of HR practices with sustainability principles and the incentivization of PUMA’s employees to support environmental goals. The design of PUMA’s workspaces and the ability of employees to manage their work hours and location were also mentioned as important criteria which made the company a Top Employer.