Adidas Poaches Puma Veteran Max Staiger as GM of Basketball

Adidas has a new general manager of basketball, FN has learned.

In a short statement sent to FN on Monday, an Adidas spokesperson confirmed that Max Staiger joined the company as GM of basketball, effective April 7.

Staiger fills the role left vacant by Eric Wise, who stepped down from his position in February after nearly nine years with the Three Stripes.

In a statement from an Adidas spokesperson at the time, the footwear company confirmed that Wise resigned from his post. “We are grateful and appreciative of the significant contributions that Eric has made,” the spokesperson said in February. “We would like to thank Eric for his contributions to the brand and wish him all the best in his next chapter.”

As for Staiger, he joins Adidas after serving 12 years at rival Puma Group. His most recent role at Puma was the global GM of basketball, which he held for the past four years. While at Puma, Staiger also held the roles of global head of basketball and global brand and corporate strategy.

Staiger’s appointment comes as the German sportswear company released its preliminary first quarter results. On Wednesday, Adidas said it saw double-digit growth across all markets and channels, revenues growing nearly 700 million euros, or 13 percent, to 6.15 billion euros in the period, up from 5.46 billion at the same time last year.

“I am very proud of what our team achieved in Q1,” Bjørn Gulden, chief executive officer of Adidas, said in a statement on Wednesday. “Double-digit growth across all markets and channels in today’s volatile environment shows the strength of our brand and underlines the great job our people are doing.”

On Friday, Adidas opened a new flagship store on the Las Vegas Strip at the new BLVD retail development. With this new flagship, the firm is occupying 16,000-sq.-ft. across two levels in the complex and is offering a curated mix of sport, style and customization at the store.

Adidas noted that the new store is one of its biggest globally and represents a significant investment in the city’s burgeoning sports scene and its reputation as a global shopping destination.