Reebok is planning to lay off 150 people after the completion of its sale by Adidas to the Authentic Brands Group (ABG) in the course of the first quarter of this year, according to the Boston Globe and Footwear News. The brand employs some 4,000 people around the world, but the cutbacks would reportedly affect mostly the staff of 450 people at its global headquarters, which is set to remain in Boston, Massachusetts. The planned move is thought as being part of the implementation of a new business model that has been adopted by ABG with other brands in its portfolio, with territorial licensees taking over many operational functions. ABG has already announced that it will be working with the Sparc Group as its core licensee and operating partner in the U.S. for Reebok, overseeing sourcing, manufacturing, branded retail stores, e-commerce and wholesale distribution for footwear as well as lifestyle and activewear. Among other functions, Reebok’s Boston office would continue to be in charge of design and product development on a global basis.

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