PUMA hires former Adidas exec to lead creative direction
PUMA has appointed former Adidas executive James Carnes to the newly created role of senior vice president creative direction.
Reporting to Maria Valdes, PUMA’s chief brand officer, Carnes will oversee creative direction, innovation and product excellence as the brand works to establish itself as a top-three global sports company.
Subscribe to TRBHis remit will include aligning creative direction with the company’s overall strategic ambitions, setting seasonal direction for business units, and defining the brand’s long-term look and feel across consumer touchpoints.
Until 2021, Carnes held several leadership positions in design, creative direction and strategy at Adidas, both in Herzogenaurach in Germany and Portland in the US. More recently, he worked as an independent consultant and investor in the wider industry.
Valdez said: “James is a very highly regarded leader in our industry and he has been instrumental in shaping some of the most influential performance and lifestyle products, labels, and platforms,
“With a strong background in industrial design and a deep understanding of both athletes and consumers, he will play an important role in getting our customers and consumers excited about PUMA once again.”
Carnes said: “We have the amazing opportunity to modernise the image and style of one of the most iconic sports brands in the world and I look forward to leading our teams and collaborating with my colleagues to make this happen.”
