Business people : PUMA appoints Andy Koehler as Chief Operating Officer

Sportlifestyle company PUMA has appointed Andy Koehler (56) as Chief Operating Officer (COO), effective 1 June 2013. Koehler, who succeeds former COO Klaus Bauer, will be part of PUMA’s Managing Director team around PUMA’s future CEO Björn Gulden, who will take up his office on 1 July 2013.

As the COO, Koehler will be in charge of the functions Operations as well as Supply Chain Management, Logistics and IT. With this organizational change PUMA will streamline the organization within its Transformation program and integrate the responsibilities of the former Chief Supply Chain Officer into his resort.

“I am pleased that Andy Koehler will be joining PUMA as Chief Operating Officer, an important step in rebuilding and establishing a strong and effective senior management team under the leadership of PUMA’s future CEO Björn Gulden”, said Jean-Francois Palus, Chairman of the Administrative Board of PUMA SE. “Andy Koehler brings international and industry experience in sourcing and supply chain management necessary to manage PUMA’s operations through the company’s Transformation period and consequently its next phase of growth.”

“I am excited to be a member of PUMA’s top management team contributing in supporting the company and brand strategy within its Transformation program and beyond”, said Andy Koehler, Chief Operating Officer of PUMA. “PUMA has an enormous potential to tap both the sports performance and lifestyle markets with its design and innovation power as well as its unique brand heritage and I am eager to support reaching the business and growth targets within the next stage of the company’s development.”

Andy Koehler has a broad international experience in various industries such as the sporting goods, automotive Tier 1 industries and consumer goods. Before joining PUMA, he was Managing Director Hong Kong and Head of Global Sourcing at adidas Group, where he led the global sourcing activities across all product categories for adidas, Reebok, Taylormade and others. From 2004 to 2008 he held the position as Vice President Purchasing at automotive and Industrial products company Johnson Controls Automotive and was member of the leadership team responsible for Europe, South Africa and South America.

Andy Koehler graduated at the University of Karlsruhe with a Masters in Business Administration and Engineering. He will be based at the PUMAVision Headquarters in Herzogenaurach, Germany.

Source Puma