Picture Credits: Christoph Maderer/ PUMA

Sports company PUMA has announced a deal to become the official apparel and footwear sponsor of the Ukraine Athletics Federation.

The announcement comes ahead of the highly anticipated World Athletics Championship in Budapest, where fans will be able to see Ukrainian athletes, including reigning European Indoor High Jump Champion Yaroslava Mahuchikh, compete in kit emblazoned with the famous PUMA cat.

“We are proud to be supporting the Ukraine Athletics Federation in pursuit of their goals at the World Atheltics Championship and beyond,” said Pascal Rolling, Head of Sports Marketing at PUMA.

A spokesperson for the Ukraine Athletics Federation added: “We are pleased to have found a new partner in PUMA, a brand we know can help us achieve our ambitions and reach new heights in the world of athletics, starting this week in Budapest.”

The World Athletics Championship Budapest 2023 will take place from 19-27 August

“In Arne Freundt, we have a recognized leader withing the Company, taking over as CEO. He has been a designated candidate and is the ideal choice to continue PUMA’s very successful path and to further accelerate the Company’s momentum. He carries the PUMA family in his heart, and will ensure that PUMA continues to be the best partner for PUMA’s retailers, suppliers and athletes”, said Héloïse Temple-Boyer, Chair of the Supervisory Board of PUMA.

Héloïse Temple-Boyer added: “We thank Bjørn Gulden for his excellent contributions during his more than nine years at PUMA in which he brought the PUMA Group back on track and made sure he leaves it in outstanding shape.”

Arne Freundt (42) has worked for PUMA for more than ten years and has been a member of the Management Board as Chief Commercial Officer since June 2021. During his time at PUMA, he has held various positions and was responsible for the Corporate Strategy, the Global Direct-to-Consumer business and the Region EMEA as a General Manager.  

“My current contract with PUMA ends 31/12/22 and after 9 years I have decided not to renew,” said Bjørn Gulden. “I have had 9 great years with the PUMA family, and I am very proud of what we have achieved together. Even during difficult times, we have had great momentum and have delivered record results in revenue and in earnings. This has been achieved by outstanding teams, our special culture and a great Supervisory Board. The Board has been very supportive also in difficult times and always with a long-term view looking at what will be the best for the company and our people. I felt it was the right time for PUMA, my successor and me to leave now. I still have a lot of energy and want to at least continue 5-10 more years in an operational role, which I think would have been too long for PUMA. Arne has been working directly with me for 9 years, has always been part of setting the strategy and making big decisions and has made a big contribution to PUMA´s success. He knows my strengths and weaknesses and I am sure he will do an even better job than me.”

“I feel privileged to be given this opportunity by the Supervisory Board to lead this great company with its fantastic people and take PUMA to the next level,” said Arne Freundt. “Bjørn has been an inspiring leader and I am very thankful for the joint journey.”

Just one year after she turned pro, Simpson became the World Champion in the 1,500 meter-event in 2011 and won several medals, including an Olympic bronze, in the years that followed.

An 8-time champion at New York’s prestigious 5th Avenue Mile and a frequent guest at the New York City Marathon, Simpson has also become a cherished part of the road racing community, a part of her career she will now prioritize.

“In her long, successful career, Jenny has inspired many up-and-coming athletes,” said Pascal Rolling, Head of Sports Marketing, Running at PUMA. “It is a privilege to take the next steps in her career journey together.”

For her first race at the Army Ten-Miler, Simpson will wear PUMA’s Deviate NITRO Elite road racing shoe, which utilizes the company’s proprietary NITRO Elite Foam to ensure maximum efficiency and propulsion for racing.

“PUMA’s amazing line-up of road racing shoes and their community-driven approach to the sport inspired me,” said Jenny Simpson. “I’m excited to become a part of the PUMA Family!”

The sports company is addressing this focus with Conference of the People, powered by PUMA. The first of its kind event will centre the voices of Gen Z as the fashion industry comes together to discuss solutions towards more sustainable processes and practises. Live from London, streamed to the world on September 6th.

When asked what they would like to see brands doing more of when it comes to environment and sustainability, taking quicker action came out on top (52%). Making more commitments to change what they’re doing came next (49%), followed by communicating their goals better (40%) and being transparent with customers (34%). Two fifths of them are interested in connecting with brands to actively make the change themselves. It once again became clear that young people want brands to listen to their thoughts and opinions on the climate emergency as well. A quarter (26%) of those surveyed do not feel that there is a platform for their generation’s opinions regarding environmental sustainability. The same amount also said they want brands to create platforms to hear from younger generations.

For its one-day event, happening this month, PUMA has compiled panels that will feature some of the most prominent voices in sustainable fashion along with some famous faces that everyone will recognise, as well as next generation thinkers. Topics for discussion include tackling waste, using more sustainable materials, impacting climate change, and finding ways for the industry to collaborate to achieve results sooner.

Eco-anxiety is also on the rise amongst young people. Over a third (36%) of them admitted to feeling very anxious about global warming and the climate emergency. The number is highest in Italy (66%). The sportswear brand plans to tackle this head on. Actress, model, and activist Cara Delevingne will feature in a conversation on how young people can manage the anxieties they’re facing when it comes to the climate crisis.

Conference of the People, powered by PUMA is a first of its kind event. The aim is to create an environment for PUMA’s industry peers, activists, NGOs, experts, ambassadors, and consumers to come together and discuss solutions for some of the fashion industry’s most pressing sustainability challenges. All whilst amplifying the of voices of young people across the world.

Anne-Laure Descours, Chief Sourcing Officer at PUMA says, “With 71% of young people believing that their voices aren’t heard when it comes to environmental sustainability, it’s clear there’s a problem. Gen Z will have to live with climate decisions that are being made today, so we recognise that it’s important that they’re heard in these conversations. My hope is that through Conference of the People, we can give a platform to their voices and create a safe environment for them to collaborate with us, as an industry, on new and better ways of operating.”

To learn more about Conference of the People and to register interest in physical or virtual attendance, users can visit PUMACOP.com and follow @PUMA and [insert local IG if applicable] on social media.

Conference of the People will start on September 6 at 12pm BST (1pm CET, 7 am ET) and the livestream of the event is free to access for all.

PUMA has an inclusive product offering to cater for women and girls in sport: underwear and activewear, modest sportswear, a maternity offering, and performance specific products exclusively engineered for women. PUMA supports all athletes to perform at the highest level and works with organizations and partners committed to remove barriers in sports.

For the Nikita Parris “She Moves Us” video interview, please click HERE.

For the Ingrid Engen “She Moves Us” video interview, please click HERE.

For the Fridolina Rolfö “She Moves Us” video interview, please click HERE.

For the Sara Björk Gunnarsdottir “She Moves Us” video interview, please click HERE.

Sports company PUMA has brought together its top female brand ambassadors to celebrate the women who have moved culture and sports forward and to inspire other women around the world.

Led by global pop superstar Dua Lipa, PUMA will generate inspiring content over the course of 2021, such as talks, videos and interviews with its female ambassadors, guided by the theme “She Moves Us”.

"Sharing stories of success is all part of changing the narrative, especially in fields like sports and entertainment that have tended to amplify the accomplishments of men,” said Dua Lipa. “Women are already nailing it across the board and celebrating their achievements is exciting and empowering. It also encourages those rising up to aim for the stars. That’s why I’m so grateful to PUMA for including me in their She Moves Us campaign. Now let’s show the world what we are capable of!”

Supermodel Winnie Harlow and actress, model and activist Cara Delevingne will also participate in the “She Moves Us” campaign. They will be joined by numerous PUMA athletes such as WNBA star Skylar Diggins-Smith, golfer Lexi Thompson, footballer Nikita Parris and high jumper Yaroslava Mahuchikh.

“She Moves Us” will tell the story of how our female ambassadors were inspired to become who they are today, the women who helped them, how they overcame challenges in their personal lives and careers and how they made it to the top in their respective fields.

By connecting its ambassadors with female consumers around the world on its social media platforms, PUMA will also create a global network which will spark a conversation around issues important to girls and women.

“She Moves Us” will empower girls and young women through PUMA’s partnership with Women Win, a global women’s fund which uses sport to advance gender equality from the bottom up. PUMA will use its communications channels to spotlight the joint efforts to impact girls and women’s rights globally.

“I am so excited to join the PUMA Family,” said Dixie D’Amelio. “Sports, fashion and music are a major part of my life and who I am, so I am beyond thrilled to be working alongside a brand where all three of these things meet.”

Dixie, who rose to fame on TikTok is one of the top 10 most followed creators on the social media platform. With more than 90 million followers combined, Dixie was named one of YouTube’s Top 10 Breakout Creators of 2020 and has one of the fastest growing YouTube channels globally. Dixie has recently started a career in music, her first single was streamed more than 300 million times and garnered close to 20 million views and she recently released her newest single “Psycho.”

Dixie is working on many exciting projects with PUMA, including a collection of her own set to release in 2022 across Foot Locker, Inc. family of brands and PUMA.com.

Dixie officially announced her new partnership with PUMA on her IG account, where she sported the new Fierce 2 sneakers. The Fierce 2 can be found on PUMA.com, PUMA stores and select retailers worldwide.

Hubert, 42, has been with PUMA for 16 years, most recently as the Global Director of Financial Controlling. As CFO, he will be responsible for Finance, Legal, IT and Business Solutions. Hubert will take over from Michael Lämmermann, 59, who has decided to retire after 28 years with PUMA and eight years as CFO. Michael will stay on as an adviser until the end of the year to guarantee a smooth transition.

Arne, 41, will take on the role of Chief Commercial Officer, where he will be in charge of Sales, including Retail & eCommerce, and Logistics. Arne has been with PUMA for 10 years, most recently as the Regional General Manager EMEA.

‘I’m very proud that we were able to fill these important Board positions with internal candidates and guarantee a smooth transition,” said PUMA Chief Executive Officer Bjørn Gulden. “I want to thank Michael for his outstanding contribution to our company over the past decades and I wish Hubert and Arne all the best in their new roles.”

Chief Sourcing Officer Anne-Laure Descours will continue to be responsible for Sourcing and Development while CEO Bjørn Gulden will continue to be in charge of Product and Marketing.