Puma India has named Ramprasad Sridharan as its new Managing Director, according to reports by LiveMint and other Indian business media. He will be overseeing the brand’s growth strategy in one of the world’s fastest-growing sportswear and athleisure markets.
Sridharan served as CEO and managing director of Benetton India for four years and is expected to assume his new role shortly. He succeeds Karthik Balagopalan, who stepped down from the position earlier this month after nearly two years at the helm. Balagopalan – a Puma veteran, hired in 2006 – guided the brand through a phase of retail expansion and digital acceleration.
Sridharan’s appointment comes at a critical moment for the sportswear sector in India, where Puma, Adidas, Skechers and Decathlon are competing for dominance in a market increasingly shaped by athleisure demand and youth-driven consumption.
India remains Puma’s largest market outside Europe, and one of its most dynamic: the brand reported record sales of €330 million in 2024, driven by e-commerce growth and a strong local-influencer strategy.
Sridharan’s move from Benetton to Puma follows a broader talent flow between fashion and sportswear, as global brands blur the lines between performance and lifestyle apparel. Benetton, undergoing its own repositioning towards casualwear and digital retail, is expected to announce a successor soon.
