Agilitas Sports, an Indian sportswear and athleisure solutions platform, has announced the appointment of Richard Zartman as Vice President of Footwear Design. As part of the founding team of Agilitas Sports, Zartman will lead footwear design for the Agilitas Group’s portfolio of sportswear brands.
Agilitas Sports, which was co-founded by Abhishek Ganguly, former Managing Director of Puma India, and former Puma India executives Atul Bajaj and Amit Prabhu, received funding of 100 crore Indian rupees (€11.09m) from venture capital firm Nexus Venture Partners in December 2023. These funds were raised at a time when the company was looking to enter into licensing agreements with international brands and was also in talks for acquisitions in the sportswear space. The company had already raised around ₹430 crore (€47.69m) at the beginning of the same year. This includes ₹430 crore from Convergent Finance LLP, an investment management and advisory firm led by Harsha Raghavan, while ₹30 crore was raised from individual investors.
With over two decades of experience in footwear design, Zartman specializes in performance running footwear. In his previous position at Adidas, he was Senior Design Director for the Global Running Business Unit at the headquarters in Herzogenaurach, Germany. He also served as Design Director for Brooks Sports, where he was responsible for the overall direction of the footwear and was recognized for establishing the Adrenaline GTS franchise.
“Richard’s extensive experience and unparalleled expertise in footwear design, product creation & strategy perfectly align with our vision of innovation and excellence,” said Ganguly, the co-founder of Agilitas Sports. He added that the appointment marks a significant milestone for his group “as we strengthen our commitment to revolutionize the sports landscape in India and beyond.”
Speaking about his appointment, Zartman said: “I am incredibly honored to join Abhishek and the dynamic team assembled here at Agilitas Sports. […] I not only look forward to crafting solutions that resonate deeply with the next generation of athletes, but it is my personal mission to use my position to elevate and showcase Indian footwear design and designers to the world.”
Agilitas Sports seems to set itself apart from the market by strategically staffing its leadership, strengthening its disruptive mindset and attracting top talent. Agilitas has a seasoned team with extensive experience in the sports and retail sector to drive its innovative strategies.
In September, Agilitas announced the acquisition of Mochiko Shoes Pvt Ltd, a contract manufacturer for leading international brands such as Adidas, Puma, New Balance, Skechers, Reebok, Asics, Crocs, Decathlon, and others. Ganguly said the company’s investment had helped Mochiko strengthen its capacity, leading to strong growth in its order book. The company is poised to achieve sales of more than €930 million this financial year.
Sports footwear accounts for 16 percent of the total Indian footwear market and is the fastest-growing segment. The Indian sportswear market is expected to grow four times its current size by 2030.
