Nike has assigned Jörg Balle to the newly created position of retail director for the AGSS region, which covers Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Slovenia. He will be in charge of the presentation of the Nike brand at retail as well as the management of existing and new retail projects, evidently including the brand’s controversial new foray into online sales. Balle takes over some of the functions of Martin Seitz, who has been since 2005 Nike AGSS’ commercial director for sales and retail operations, and who is leaving the company. Since he joined Nike in 1998, Balle has been dealing with the company’s retail activities. He began as customer service manager at NikeTown in Berlin. He then acted as retail area manager for Germany between 2001 and 2003 when he returned to Berlin to became NikeTown’s general manager. Balle will report directly to Hubertus Hoyt, Nike’s vice president for the AGSS region.