Photo source: Puma
Puma has appointed Nadia Kokni as vice president of global brand marketing, succeeding Richard Teyssier, the company announced. Having assumed the role on January 1, Kokni becomes Puma’s most senior global marketing executive, overseeing brand strategy, creative leadership, and the development of integrated marketing and communications worldwide.
In October, the sportswear brand consolidated several key functions, including brand marketing, product, innovation and go-to-market, into a single global structure under Chief Brand Officer Maria Valdes, to whom Kokni will report. Richard Teyssier, who spent more than 14 years at Puma, is departing the company to pursue new opportunities.
Kokni joins Puma from Hugo Boss, where she most recently served as senior vice president of global marketing and communications, leading a large-scale brand transformation and accelerating the company’s digital initiatives.
Her career also includes senior roles at Adidas, JD Sports, Tommy Hilfiger and H&M. Commenting on the appointment, Maria Valdes said the move comes at a pivotal moment for the brand as it brings product creation and storytelling closer together, adding that Kokni’s leadership will support sharper product narratives, stronger brand momentum and deeper consumer connections worldwide.
Last March, Puma unveiled its largest global campaign to date, introducing the “Go Wild” platform through a series of humorous ads portraying a wide mix of people, from marathon runners to parents pushing strollers – all chasing the feeling of a runner’s high. The campaign was developed by Adam&eveDDB, appointed Puma’s lead creative agency in 2024. At the time, Richard Teyssier described the launch as a pivotal moment for the brand, noting that the brand DNA work carried out over the previous year was central to shaping Puma’s future direction.
According to Marketing Dive, the leadership changes come as Puma continues a broader reset aimed at positioning the company among the world’s top three sports brands. Following a 10.4% year-on-year sales decline in Q3, linked largely to its ongoing strategic overhaul, CEO Arthur Hoeld has acknowledged that the turnaround will take time, with 2027 set as the target for a return to sustainable growth.
