People and HR
The talent decisions shaping the sporting goods industry
Leadership moves, talent trends, and the people behind the strategy. SGI Europe tracks executive appointments, board changes, and workforce dynamics across the global sporting goods industry, with interviews with the executives, founders, and operators who are making it happen.
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Latest
Adidas cuts a tech hub in India it built five years ago
Adidas India Tech Cuts: Digital Build-Out Strategy Under Review
Noto Group answers sporting goods two-way talent demand
New UK partners let the firm serve outbound demand from US sporting goods brands, not just inbound demand from Europe.
Nike looks to luxury for board expertise
Arnault, deputy CEO of Moët Hennessy, joins Nike’s board after leadership roles at Tiffany & Co and Rimowa.
LATEST
JD Sports names North America CEO and Group CMO
John Mersho becomes JD North America CEO and Mike Grimes is promoted Group CMO, effective immediately.
Skechers hires ex-PUMA North America chief as CMO
McRae departs the top job at PUMA’s biggest market to build Skechers’ marketing team.
PUMA CEO takes over sales as commercial chief exits
No successor is named yet, leaving Hoeld to personally run sales as PUMA’s leadership rebuild continues.
“Simplify to amplify”: Under Armour’s race to win runners
SGIE in conversation with UA on cutting the range and finding the runner.
Technogym settles into new finance leadership
Carlo Capelli and Pierluigi Alessandri now hold the finance and risk roles Marabini and Capelli once shared.
Head Spain hands sales, marketing reins to Nike veteran
Oriol Martínez de Juan succeeds a 12-year incumbent now moving to an international post within the Head group.
PUMA brings in Nike veteran to lead sport marketing
The Nike veteran arrives Oct. 1 as PUMA continues a broad leadership reshuffle under Arthur Hoeld.
Think Beyond names Robertson as first CEO
Melissa Robertson becomes Think Beyond’s first CEO, taking an equity stake as the consultancy scales.
Toni Sailer names Head of Sales, US director
The premium ski fashion brand fills two senior roles as it works to expand sales channels and its North American footprint.
Noto Group answers sporting goods two-way talent demand
New UK partners let the firm serve outbound demand from US sporting goods brands, not just inbound demand from Europe.
Nike looks to luxury for board expertise
Arnault, deputy CEO of Moët Hennessy, joins Nike’s board after leadership roles at Tiffany & Co and Rimowa.
JD Sports names North America CEO and Group CMO
John Mersho becomes JD North America CEO and Mike Grimes is promoted Group CMO, effective immediately.
Skechers hires ex-PUMA North America chief as CMO
McRae departs the top job at PUMA’s biggest market to build Skechers’ marketing team.
PUMA CEO takes over sales as commercial chief exits
No successor is named yet, leaving Hoeld to personally run sales as PUMA’s leadership rebuild continues.
Technogym settles into new finance leadership
Carlo Capelli and Pierluigi Alessandri now hold the finance and risk roles Marabini and Capelli once shared.
Head Spain hands sales, marketing reins to Nike veteran
Oriol Martínez de Juan succeeds a 12-year incumbent now moving to an international post within the Head group.
PUMA brings in Nike veteran to lead sport marketing
The Nike veteran arrives Oct. 1 as PUMA continues a broad leadership reshuffle under Arthur Hoeld.
HR & TALENT MANAGEMENT
Adidas cuts a tech hub in India it built five years ago
Adidas India Tech Cuts: Digital Build-Out Strategy Under Review
Noto Group answers sporting goods two-way talent demand
New UK partners let the firm serve outbound demand from US sporting goods brands, not just inbound demand from Europe.
New Balance UK factory gets a garden by a jeweller
London jewellery brand Bleue Burnham, founded by a self-taught gardener, designed the space for New Balance’s 300 UK shoemakers.
Decathlon seeds ownership across the workforce
Decathlon Seed offers €2,000 in free shares to eligible staff worldwide, with a three-year vesting period.
Asian tennis athletes are no longer the backup option
Once an afterthought, Asian stars like China’s Zheng Qinwen now command top sponsorship dollars, rewriting who brands back.
Ronaldo’s data becomes WHOOP’s best ad
A record eight players are over 40 at this World Cup. WHOOP built a Ronaldo campaign around exactly that.
Cyclist turned marathoner launches running label in Leeds
Edmondson raced UK’s Node4-Giordana for years before winning a marathon by 10 minutes.
IOC announces $10,000 grant for every Olympic athlete
Not prize money, not a podium reward: the IOC will pay every Olympic competitor $10,000, starting with Milano Cortina 2026.
She’s a brand…and she´s back at 44
Serena Williams’ return to Wimbledon at 44 as a wildcard has left has left two of key sponsors exposed.
Harry Kane, top scorer and entrepreneur
The £20m Seat Unique raise is the latest move in Kane’s quietly expanding equity portfolio.
When Messi scores, the brand machine fires
A hat-trick against Algeria also activated adidas, Dick’s and a commercial system already in place.
LVMH-backed Champ fund backs Rhoback in $50m debut deal
The new athlete-equity fund backed by LVMH deploys nearly $50m into US activewear brand Rhoback: its first investment.
adidas marketing ops VP Jochen Denninger dies at 57
Jochen Denninger, adidas Vice President of Marketing Operations since 2024, died on August 23 after 29 years with the brand.
DF Sport Specialist founder Longoni dies at 83
The Italian entrepreneur who built Longoni Sport and DF Sport Specialist died April 29. His story spans mountain retail, alpinism and community.
Colmar’s Mario Colombo dies at 71
Mario Colombo dies aged 71: Colmar president and Made in Italy ski sportswear figure
Farewell to Nicola Pietrangeli
Nicola Pietrangeli, Italy’s greatest tennis player and a symbol of elegance and joie de vivre, has died at 92.
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