Puma CEO Bjorn Gulden in talks to succeed Kasper Rorsted as chief of Adidas

Adidas announced Friday that it is successful talks with Bjorn Gulden, the departing CEO of Puma, to win Kasper Rorsted arsenic its main executive.

Rorsted, who has helmed Adidas since 2016, unexpectedly announced his departure successful August. He plans to permission Adidas sometime during 2023, aft a successor is officially appointed.

Gulden, meanwhile, is simultaneously ending his tenure astatine Puma. His rank connected Puma's absorption committee expires astatine the extremity of 2022, and Puma connected Thursday announced that Arne Freundt would beryllium taking his spot arsenic Puma's chief.

Adidas confirmed the talks with Gulden arsenic a imaginable successor, but declined to remark beyond that release. Puma declined to comment.

Adidas has faced a caller nationalist relations situation successful its dealings with Ye, formerly known arsenic Kanye West. The company terminated its concern with Ye's Yeezy brand aft a bid of antisemitic remarks from the rapper.

Adidas and Puma person roots successful 20th period Germany. They were founded by brothers Adi and Rudi Dassler, who went into concern unneurotic successful 1919. They became rivals and broke disconnected aft World War II to commencement Adidas and Puma, respectively.