After more than 16 years with the company, Michael Rupp, currently Managing Director of adidas' Area Central (AC) will take a one-year- break from his responsibilities at adidas-Salomon. Rupp is apparently taking a leave to take an extended sailing trip.
The AC region includes Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Slovenia.
Effective September 27, Ulli Gritzuhn will join adidas-Salomon to strengthen its European Management team and will take over as Managing Director Area Central effective January 1, 2005. the company said there will be an “intensive introduction program” for Gritzuhn, followed by a hand-over period from early November until December.
He will report to Roland Auschel, Head of the EMEA region
Gritzuhn comes to adi from Wrigley where he was most recently Regional Vice President for Western Europe. He has spent his entire career in the European Consumer Goods Industry, starting in sales and marketing positions at P&G.
In other adidas-Salomon news, the company last week reiterated guidance that calls for a 20% increase in earnings for the current year. The news came on the heels of Nikes Q1 earnings report.
