Bjorn Gulden

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Bjørn Gulden (born June 4, 1965) is a Norwegian business executive and former professional football midfielder. Since 2023, he has served as the CEO of Adidas,[1][2] the German athletic apparel and footwear conglomerate, and was formerly the CEO of Puma,[3] and former CEO of jewelry manufacturer Pandora.[4] He was named Fortune's Businessperson of the Year in 2019.[5]

Early life and education[edit]

Gulden was born in Zurich, Switzerland. He holds a Bachelors of Business Administration from the University of Stavanger and a Master of Business Administration from Babson College.[6]

Personal life[edit]

His father, Arild Gulden, is a former professional handball and soccer player who played at Grasshopper Club Zürich.  Gulden is married and has three sons. His son Henrik Gulden is also a professional football player.[7]

Football career[edit]

Gulden started his career as a football player for the Strømsgodset Toppfotball team. He later played for 1. FC Nürnberg for the 1984–85 2. Bundesliga season. He later joined Bryne FK.[8]

Business career[edit]

Gulden began his career at Adidas in 1992, and held management positions until 1999, when he became the Head of Product, Marketing, and Sourcing at Helly Hansen. In 2000, he became the managing director of Deichmann SE and was CEO of Deichmann's U.S. subsidiary Rack Room Shoes. Between 2012 and 2013, he served as the CEO of Pandora, the Danish jewelry brand, and remained a board member until 2018. In 2013, he became CEO of German design corporation Puma.[9][10] He became CEO of Adidas on January 1, 2023, taking over Kasper Rørsted.[11]

Kanye West controversy[edit]

On the In Good Company podcast, Gulden defended" Ye's reportedly antisemitic remarks that led to the termination of Adidas Yeezy.[12] His comments were widely reported and criticized,[13] and he later "apologized for his misstatement."[14]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Warner, Bernhard (2023-02-10). "Adidas Tumbles as Losses From Its Kanye West Venture Pile Up". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
  2. ^ Moss, Trefor. "WSJ News Exclusive | The CEO Who Gave 60,000 Employees His Cellphone Number". WSJ. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
  3. ^ Kostov, Nick. "Adidas in Talks With Puma Executive for CEO Role". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
  4. ^ DeMarco, Anthony. "Pandora Names New CEO". Forbes. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
  5. ^ Warner, Bernhard. "Bjørn Gulden". Fortune (magazine). Retrieved 2024-04-26.
  6. ^ "PUMA appoints Björn Gulden as new CEO". Kering. Retrieved 2024-04-26.
  7. ^ Mowbray, John (2017-02-23). "Exclusive interview with Bjoern Gulden, CEO, Puma". Ecotextile News. Retrieved 2024-04-26.
  8. ^ Nilsen, Jostein (2022-11-08). "Tidligere Godset-spiller blir ny toppsjef i Adidas". Drammens Tidende (in Norwegian). Retrieved 2024-04-26.
  9. ^ "Bjørn Gulden: the 'chaotic' ex-footballer revamping Adidas". www.ft.com. Retrieved 2024-04-26.
  10. ^ Monaghan, Matt. "PUMA CEO Bjorn Gulden on how Arsenal deal will rejuvenate the company - Sport360 News". sport360.com. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
  11. ^ Backman, Melvin (2024-01-16). "Adidas CEO to 60,000 employees: Call me maybe". Quartz (publication). Retrieved 2024-04-26.
  12. ^ "Adidas CEO: Kanye West didn't mean antisemitic remarks". Reuters. September 20, 2023. Retrieved April 26, 2024.
  13. ^ Chery, Samantha (September 20, 2023). "Adidas CEO says Kanye West didn't mean to attack Jews". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 26, 2024.
  14. ^ Ray, Siladitya. "Adidas CEO Apologizes After Saying Kanye West Didn't Mean Antisemitic Comments". Forbes. Retrieved 2024-04-26.
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