Adidas Group
announced new chief officers for sales and retail responsible for both adidas
and Reebok. Effective July 1, Roland Auschel will assume the role of chief
sales officer. Michael Stanier joined the adidas Group as chief retail officer
on May 15. As previously announced, the adidas Group will no longer operate
regional headquarters in Europe and Asia.
Instead, it will strengthen the direct interaction between the global organization
and the local markets.

Stanier will be responsible for ensuring a coherent approach across own retail across all
markets. Stanier and his team are also charged with maximizing growth,
profitability and consumer experience of own retail. With over �1.8 billion in
own retail sales in 2008, the adidas Group is on a growth path that will make
it one of the top 250 global retailers in the medium term. Stanier
draws on a wealth of experience in international retail having worked in
leadership roles at Marks & Spencer, Timberland and most recently GAP.

In his new role, Roland Auschel, currently Head of Region Europe/Middle
East/Africa, will direct and drive all local organisations to achieve
operational targets through the development and implementation of
state-of-the-art commercial strategies, balanced channel approaches and strong
local trade development. The adidas Group Managing Directors on a local market
level will report into Roland Auschel. Due to their strategic and financial
importance, adidas America,
Greater China and Russia/CIS will report directly into Erich Stamminger,
President of the adidas brand.

Auschel and Stanier will both report directly into Erich
Stamminger. For the Reebok part of the business, both will also report
functionally into Uli Becker, President of the Reebok brand.

“The new structure will get us closer to our consumer and accelerate our
speed to market significantly, making our organisation faster, more effective
and more flexible, ” said Herbert Hainer, CEO and Chairman of the adidas
Group. “At the same time, it will strengthen the consistency of our brand
messages globally by empowering a direct working relationship between global
brand and marketing management on the one end and local markets on the other
end.”