Puma appointed industry expert Archie McEachern as the Vice President of its Basketball business unit on Aug. 18. He will be based in Boston and report to Puma’s Chief Product Officer, Maria Valdes. McEachern fills the position left vacant by Max Staiger, who left to join Puma’s neighbor, Adidas.
Since returning to the sport in 2018, Puma has maintained a special focus on basketball.
In October 2024, the company made its most significant investment ever to gain speed in the category. That initiative has resulted in the best-selling MB series of signature shoes and the All-Pro. The company has signed several high-profile brand ambassadors, including NBA and WNBA stars LaMelo Ball, Tyrese Haliburton and Breanna Stewart.
In March 2025, Puma CEO Arne Freundt announced during the annual press conference that the company’s focus is fixed on four categories, one of which is basketball.
This year, Puma has been seeking new talent in the category, and has perhaps found it in McEachern, who will lead the basketball team. “Archie builds on a successful career in the sports industry with several international leadership roles in merchandising, product creation, and sales at Nike and VF Corporation to his name,” the company said. “He also worked as the CEO of basketball innovation start-up 360 Hoops.”
“With Archie, we’ve brought on a seasoned expert who understands both the product and the culture of our consumers,” said Valdes. “Basketball has always been a part of Puma’s DNA, and as the game continues to grow globally, we’re confident that Archie will help elevate our legacy and expand our impact on and off the court,” she concluded.
