Arthur Hoeld
Chief executive of Puma since July 2025
Arthur Hoeld is the chief executive of Puma, a role he took on 1 July 2025 after more than 25 years at rival adidas, where he last served on the executive board responsible for global sales. He is leading the German sportswear company through a strategic reset and a change in its shareholder base.
| Role | Chief executive of Puma |
|---|---|
| Since | 1 July 2025 |
| Predecessor | Arne Freundt |
| Previous employer | adidas (from 1998) |
| Last adidas role | Executive board, global sales (until October 2024) |
Who is Arthur Hoeld?
Arthur Hoeld is the chairman of the management board and chief executive of Puma SE, the German sportswear group. He joined Puma from its rival adidas, bringing more than two and a half decades of experience in the sporting goods industry.
Career at adidas
Hoeld joined adidas in 1998 and held a series of senior roles in marketing, brand strategy and regional leadership, including responsibilities across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. He also played a leading role in the development of the adidas Originals business. He later became a member of the adidas executive board responsible for global sales, a position he held until October 2024.
Chief executive of Puma
In April 2025 Puma announced that Hoeld would succeed Arne Freundt, who left the company by mutual agreement over differing views on the execution of its strategy. Hoeld took office on 1 July 2025. Announcing the appointment, supervisory board chair Héloïse Temple-Boyer said: "We are convinced that thanks to his strategic vision and focus on Product and Brand, Arthur will lead Puma into a new chapter of strength and growth."
His tenure has coincided with significant changes at the company. In October 2026 Puma welcomed ANTA Sports as its new largest shareholder and thanked the previous main shareholder, Artémis, for its partnership. Hoeld said Puma viewed ANTA's long term commitment "as a strong vote of confidence in our strategy, our management team and our future", and restated the goal of becoming a "top 3 global sports brand".
- 1998: joins adidas
- Until October 2024: adidas executive board member for global sales
- 1 July 2025: chief executive of Puma
- October 2026: ANTA Sports becomes Puma's largest shareholder
Influence on the fashion business
Puma sits at the intersection of sport and fashion, with a large lifestyle business alongside football, running and other performance categories. Hoeld's focus on product and brand reflects the competitive pressure in a market where adidas, Nike and fast growing challengers compete for both athletes and fashion conscious consumers. His experience with adidas Originals is particularly relevant to the lifestyle side of the business.
Why it matters
The appointment of a long serving adidas executive to lead Puma was one of the most notable leadership moves in sportswear in 2025. With a new largest shareholder from China and an ambition to move into the top three global sports brands, Puma under Hoeld is a key company to watch for anyone following the sporting goods and athleisure market.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the CEO of Puma?
Arthur Hoeld has been chief executive of Puma since 1 July 2025. He succeeded Arne Freundt and previously spent more than 25 years at adidas.
What did Arthur Hoeld do at adidas?
He joined adidas in 1998 and held senior roles in marketing, brand strategy and regional leadership. He later sat on the adidas executive board with responsibility for global sales until October 2024.