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Puma has appointed James Carnes as senior vice president of creative direction, effective immediately.
In this newly established position, Carnes will oversee innovation, product excellence, and the long-term “aesthetic” direction of the brand, reporting to chief brand officer Maria Valdes.
Carnes spent over 20 years in the sports industry, holding various leadership roles in design and strategy at Adidas in Germany and the US until 2021.
Most recently, he worked as an independent consultant and investor. His remit at Puma involves aligning the company’s creative output with its ambition to become a top-three global sports brand.
The role requires setting seasonal directions for Puma’s business units and managing the brand’s visual identity across all consumer touchpoints.
The company stated that Carnes’ background in industrial design will be used to modernise its product range.
Maria Valdes, chief brand officer at Puma, said: “James is a leader in our industry and he has been instrumental in shaping some of the most influential performance and lifestyle products, labels, and platforms.
“With a strong background in industrial design and a deep understanding of both athletes and consumers, he will play an important role in getting our customers and consumers excited about Puma once again.”
Carnes added: “Creative direction is about more than seasonal trends and colours. It is about defining how Puma holistically presents itself in the market, harnessing the company’s portfolio of world-class innovation, and deeply connecting with consumers.
“We have the opportunity to modernise the image and style of one of the most iconic sports brands in the world and I look forward to leading our teams and collaborating with my colleagues to make this happen.”
