Puma has appointed industry veteran Andrew “Rudi” Rudolph as senior vice president of North American wholesale sales.
He brings 30 years of experience leading sales strategies and managing distribution decisions for some of the biggest sports accounts in the footwear and apparel industry, including more than 20 years at Adidas. Rudolph will work to solidify Puma as a market leader and drive growth, build brand equity, elevate the brand, and enhance customer satisfaction within
North America.
“Rudi’s unique blend of industry experience and sales leadership will be pivotal to our growth plans in North America,” said Bob Philion, president of Puma North America. “His proven track record of managing teams and delivering outstanding commercial results, coupled with his deep understanding of the footwear and apparel market and our key customers, will be instrumental as we support our region’s continued expansion strategies.”
Rudolph will report to Philion and serve on Puma North America’s executive leadership team, representing the sales function for the U.S. and Canada.
Most recently, Rudolph was senior vice president of wholesale at Cole Haan, a role that commenced in June 2020 (read SGB Media’s coverage here), Rudolph achieved more than 70 percent revenue growth in three years and reached the highest revenue number in company history. Having been tasked with restructuring the organization during the heightened years surrounding COVID-19, Puma said Rudolph has extensive experience integrating sales planning strategies with global initiatives, balancing business success, and fostering a “team first,” collaborative culture.
Previously, Rudolph spent more than 20 years at Adidas, working his way up to vice president of sales for the U.S. Through exceptional planning and customer service, he tripled the Adidas U.S. business during his tenure there and led numerous teams across multiple facets of the Adidas business. He also served as the director for the mall channel of distribution, including Foot Locker, Champs, JD/Finish Line, Journey’s, and Dick’s Sporting Goods, among many others.
Rudolph will start with Puma on October 10.
“As an avid sports fan I am thrilled to have the opportunity to join such an iconic global brand such as Puma,“ said Rudolph. “I have closely followed the brand’s rapid growth over the past few years and I believe there are still many more opportunities for Puma to elevate within the North American marketplace. It is an honor to join the Puma family and I look forward to many years of continued growth.“
Photo courtesy Puma / Greg M. Cooper
