Reebok Appoints Former Adidas Executive to Oversee European Market

Reebok is putting together a new top management team in Europe. The fashion and sports footwear company, owned by U.S. group Authentic Brands, has appointed a new CEO for the European business, the company said in a statement. The news coincides with the opening of a new Reebok headquarters in the region, located in London (UK).

After starting his career at Danone, where he worked for more than a decade, Le Roux spent another 15 years of his life at Adidas. After joining the German sports giant in 2006 as Brand marketing director, the executive rose through the ranks to become vice president of brand in 2017, a position he held until 2021.

That year coincides precisely with the change of hands of Reebok, which was sold by Adidas to Authentic Brands in August 2021 for €2.1 billion. Most recently, Le Roux held the position of CEO at Royer Group, a family-owned footwear distribution company with a portfolio of more than 30 brands such as Umbro or Von Dutch.

Reebok is also launching its European headquarters, with the aim of boosting its business in the region

The company’s decision to appoint a new captain for the European business also coincides with the opening of a new headquarters in the region. Specifically, the fashion and sports footwear company has chosen London to locate the brand’s headquarters, whose license in the territory is held by GB Brands Europe.

The objective of having offices in the country, explains the U.S. group, is to “accelerate Reebok’s retail expansion in the country and strengthen the weight of its women’s and performance products in the business”. “The opening of this new headquarters in London is a symbol of Reebok’s future in Europe, to which I am delighted to be able to contribute,“ said Le Roux in the statement.

The brand’s business in the Old Continent took a turn at the end of last year, when Authentic Brands revoked Reebok’s distribution contract to New Guards Group, a division of Farfetch. It was not until February this year that the U.S. group again licensed the Reebok business, in this case to GB Brands Europe, a new joint venture created between Galaxy Universal, a company specializing in the design and distribution of private label and licensed athletic footwear, and Batra Group.