Puma appoints former Nike Manager Marcia Dos Santos as Vice President of core business unit
German sportswear company Puma SE has strengthened its leadership team by appointing Marcia Dos Santos as Vice President of its Core Business Unit (BU), reinforcing the company’s ongoing organizational transformation.
According to Puma, Dos Santos will officially assume the newly created role on July 15. She will report directly to Chief Brand Officer Maria Valdes, alongside Laurent Fricker, who recently took charge of Puma’s Sportstyle Business Unit.
The appointment comes as Puma continues to reshape its business structure by establishing dedicated leadership teams for its Sportstyle and Core business units. Fricker has been leading the Sportstyle division since early June, while Dos Santos will now oversee the Core business, which remains a key part of Puma’s global operations.
Dos Santos brings more than 20 years of experience in the sporting goods industry. Before joining Puma, she served as Vice President of Merchandising for Women’s EMEA at Nike, where she led merchandising strategies across one of the company’s major regional markets.
Commenting on the appointment, Maria Valdes highlighted Dos Santos’ extensive industry background and leadership capabilities.
“Throughout her career, Marcia has achieved strong business results across various regions and product categories, demonstrating her outstanding skills in go-to-market and merchandising,” Valdes said. “With her profound industry experience, impressive track record in sales and ability to build successful teams, she is the right person to further advance Core, a central pillar of our business.”
The new appointment reflects Puma’s continued focus on strengthening its leadership and sharpening the strategic direction of its business units. By assigning dedicated executives to both the Sportstyle and Core divisions, the company aims to enhance product development, merchandising, and market execution while supporting its long-term growth objectives.
