Following an interesting business model, the Adidas Group is indirectly backing the development of new brands and new technologies through a new fund in San Francisco, Hydra Ventures. It is structured as a venture capital fund, but it is headed up by Tom Montgomery, who has beben head of corporate strategy at Adidas since 2006. Herbert Hainer, chief executive of Adidas, and Robin Stalker, chief financial officer of the group, sit on Hydra's board of directors along with an experienced venture capital manager, Duncan Fitzwilliams, and Toby Hoare, CEO of JWT Europe. Started earlier this year, the fund has no current investments at the moment but is eager to make deals at some stage.

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