Puma’s mission to remake its executive team continues with its newest hire.
On Thursday, the German athletic company tapped Arne Arens as its new chief commercial officer and has added him as member of the management board, effective Nov. 15. He steps in for chief executive officer Arthur Hoeld, who took on the role temporarily following the exit of longtime Puma executive Matthias Baeumer in September.
Puma’s management board will now consist of Hoeld, Arens, chief financial officer Mark Langer, chief brand officer Maria Valdes and chief operating officer Andreas Hubert.
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According to Puma, Arens will be responsible for the company’s global commercial organization and marketplace strategy, overseeing its sales activities across all channels and markets worldwide.
Hoeld said in a statement that Arens “unique skillset” combines commercial expertise, consumer insights and brand leadership.
“He has a proven track record in building brands and working with wholesale partners to drive commercial execution, while staying on top of what consumers expect,” Hoeld noted. “His extensive international experience, leadership capabilities and passion for sport make him the ideal addition to Puma as we execute our strategy and deliver on our ambition to make Puma a top 3 global sports brand.”
Arens joins Puma from apparel technology company Unspun, where he served as CEO for just eight months. Prior to this role, he was the CEO of Quicksilver and Billabong parent Boardriders for nearly three years.
Arens also spent over 10 years at The North Face, with roles such as global brand president, general manager of Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and vice president of sales of EMEA. Prior to The North Face, he served nearly eight years at Nike, holding positions like sales director of sportswear and general manager of football in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
“With its great heritage and a brand known across the globe, Puma holds a unique position in the sporting goods industry and has a tremendous opportunity in the global market,” Arens added. “I look forward to working with our teams and retail partners to unlock these opportunities and connect Puma with consumers around the globe.”
The news comes amid a barrage of executive changes at Puma. In September, the company named Fokko de Rooij as its new managing director of Europe, and Daniel Pustina as managing director of Cluster Central. Earlier that same month, Puma’s first female North American president, Tara McRae, left the firm for a new role at Skechers.
