Puma has strengthened its executive leadership team with the appointment of another longtime Nike executive, continuing the company’s organizational reshuffle following Anta Sports’ investment in the German sportswear brand.
The company has named Marcia Dos Santos, who spent nearly two decades at Nike, as Vice President of Puma’s Core Business Unit, a newly created position reporting directly to Chief Brand Officer Maria Valdes.
The appointment comes months after Anta acquired a 29.06% stake in Puma, a deal that has accelerated a broader restructuring across the company’s commercial and brand operations.
Another Nike veteran joins Puma
Dos Santos built almost her entire career at Nike, holding a series of merchandising leadership roles across multiple regions over the past 20 years.
Most recently, she served as Vice President of Women’s Merchandising for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), where she was responsible for product strategy and go-to-market execution.
Puma highlighted her strong track record in merchandising, commercial strategy and market launches across various product categories and international markets.
Puma doubles down on Nike talent
The appointment is the latest in a series of high-profile hires from Nike as Puma seeks to strengthen its leadership team.
Earlier this year, the company recruited Bertrand Blanc as Global Vice President of Wholesale Sales, another newly created executive role.
Those appointments followed the arrivals of:
- James Carnes as Senior Vice President of Creative Direction;
- Laurent Fricker as Vice President of the Sportstyle Business Unit.
The recruitment drive reflects Puma’s strategy to reinforce its creative, product and commercial capabilities after a challenging period for the business.
Profitability improves despite lower sales
The management changes come as Puma begins to stabilize its financial performance.
During the first quarter of fiscal 2026, the company reported sales of €1.86 billion, down 6.3% year-over-year from €1.99 billion.
Despite the decline in revenue, Puma significantly improved its bottom line, with net profit rising from €0.5 million to €26.5 million.
As Anta’s influence grows, Puma appears focused on rebuilding its leadership structure while investing in experienced industry executives to strengthen its competitive position in the global sportswear market.