PORTLAND, Ore. — Adidas has appointed John Miller as president of North American operations. He replaces Rupert Campbell who stepped down from the helm last fall.
Miller rejoins Adidas after nearly 20 years. According to his LinkedIn, Miller worked at Adidas for nearly four years, including as director of mall sales, beginning in 2002. He most recently worked as Puma’s senior vice president of wholesale, a position he held for more than four years. Prior to that he was senior vice president and general manager of North American sales and marketing for sports gear maker, G-Form.
Miller also worked at Nike for more than a decade, most recently as the senior director of North American sporting goods. Adidas’ CEO, Bjorn Gulden, also came to the company from Puma in 2022.
“We are happy to welcome John back to Adidas as our new President of North America. John is a consumer-driven leader who has a strong record of success in executing growth strategies, repositioning and accelerating brands throughout his career,” said Adidas Executive Board member Arthur Hoeld in a press release. “John is passionate about people and building a strong team-based culture. We are confident that his deep knowledge of the U.S. marketplace along with his ability to build and lead effective teams will foster growth in North America.”
Adidas has its North American headquarters in North Portland. It employs about 1,700 workers in the area, making it the third largest footwear and apparel brand here, after Nike and Columbia Sportswear.
Campbell arrived in Portland as the head of North America in 2021. He had been with the German shoemaker since 2012 and was previously head of the company's Russian operations and a retail director.
Miller’s announcement could signal a new beginning for the brand that has faced a series of challenges in recent years. Between recovering from pandemic disruptions, to a new CEO, to Adidas’ drawn-out split with designer and brand partner Kanye West over a series of antisemitic statements, analysts agree that Adidas has an opportunity to redefine itself.
Adidas said that Miller will report directly to Hoeld, who is responsible on the executive board for global sales, and will be based in Portland.
This story is courtesy of KGW's news partner Portland Business Journal. Read more here.
