Adidas Bolsters Running Strategy, Taps Former McKinsey Exec to Lead Charge

Adidas reinforces its commitment to running with strategic consulting talent. The German company has placed this pillar of its sports business in the hands of Patrick Nava, a former McKinsey consultant and until now vice president of product management for the category, a position he assumed in 2021 after joining the group in 2019.

The German brand has made running one of its growth drivers. With Adidas Runners, the company energizes communities in 70 cities around the world and supports its global strategy in this universe, key to sustaining its evolution. In the last fiscal year, Adidas increased its turnover by 10.5% to €23.63 billion.

The segment is structured around its main franchises, Adizero, Supernova and Ultraboost, with a proposal designed to cover different types of practice and levels of specialization. Nava’s appointment comes to pilot this strategic axis from the headquarters in Herzogenaurach (Germany).

Prior to joining the German group, Nava spent part of his career in California, where he worked for nearly four years at Gap as director of strategic alliances. Previously, the executive spent a decade at McKinsey, between Germany and the United States, advising luxury and sports brands on commercial reorganization, marketing and operations.

Adidas has entrusted Patrick Nava with its running division

With this move, Adidas reinforces the leadership of a key category for its global positioning and growth, at a time marked by increasing competition in the running market and the need to consolidate active communities around the brand.

Boosted by the demand for classic models such as Samba, Campus and Gazelle, Adidas closed the first nine months of the year with a 52.17% increase in net income and a 5.73% rise in sales. In the third quarter, profit grew 1.89%, while turnover rose 2.98% to €6.63 billion, “the highest quarterly figure achieved by the group in its history”, according to Bjørn Gulden, CEO of the German giant.

In the year to September, Adidas achieved €18.73 billion in sales, 5.74% more than a year earlier. Operating profit increased by 47.81% to €1.89 billion, and net profit amounted to €1.29 billion, 52.17% more.

By markets, Europe continued to lead the business, with €2.32 billion and a growth of 8%, while the United States fell by 5% to €1.29 billion. In China, the company stagnated, while in Latin America it grew by 6%. In product, footwear contracted 1% in the third quarter to 3.75 billion, while apparel rebounded 11% and accessories fell 3%.