Puma has hired fashion industry veteran Erik Janshen to fill its vice president of direct-to-consumer role.
Janshen, 46, will oversee the German athletic giant’s DTC business, which includes its owned and operated stores, Puma.com and several online marketplaces. In a statement, Puma said Janshen will be tasked with improving the quality of its distribution, which Puma stated is one of its strategic priorities, as well as “seamlessly connecting consumers with the company’s products and initiatives both online and offline.”
Janshen is replacing Puma India managing director Karthik Balagopalan, who assumed the role last year and has also been leading the company’s DTC business on an interim basis.
“We are incredibly fortunate to have Erik join the Puma family, and I am confident that his leadership will drive us towards our ambitious goals to elevate our DTC consumer experience to drive further brand heat,” Puma chief executive officer Arne Freundt said in a statement. “His innovative approach and passion for consumer-centric strategies will undoubtedly be an asset for our DTC business.”
Janshen has more than 10 years of experience in digital sales and DTC leadership positions in business, and most recently served as the senior vice president of digital sales for Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein at PVH Corp.
Puma has made several headlines as of late. For instance, the sportswear powerhouse added Rosé of K-pop supergroup Blackpink to its ambassador roster in mid-June. And at the start of the month, Puma announced it had expanded its relationship with fitness racing event Hyrox from a local partner to a worldwide partnership.
Peter Verry is the Senior News and Features Editor for Athletic and Outdoor at Footwear News. He oversees coverage of the two fast-paced and ultracompetitive markets, which includes conducting in-depth interviews with industry leaders and writing stories on sneakers and outdoor shoes. He is a lifelong sneaker addict (and shares his newest purchases via @peterverry on Instagram) and spends most of his free time on a trail. He holds an M.A. in journalism from Hofstra University and can be reached at peter.verry@footwearnews.com.
