James Carnes joins Puma to lead creative direction and innovation

German sportswear company Puma has appointed James Carnes to the newly created role of senior vice president creative direction.

In this position, Carnes will lead the creative direction, innovation and product excellence departments, Puma announced on Monday. He will report directly to chief brand officer Maria Valdes and will help establish Puma as a ‘top three’ sports brand in the world. To achieve this, he will align the creative direction with the company's overarching strategic goals, define the seasonal direction for the business units and create a long-term brand image across all customer touchpoints.

“Creative direction is about more than just seasonal trends and colours,” said Carnes. “It's about defining how Puma presents itself holistically in the market, leveraging the company's world-class innovations and building a deep connection with consumers.”

Gained experience at Adidas

The new head of creative brings more than two decades of experience in the sports industry. Until 2021, Carnes held various management positions in design, creative direction and strategy at direct competitor Adidas in Germany and the US. Most recently, he worked as an independent consultant and investor in the industry, according to the Herzogenaurach-based company.

“James is a highly respected leader in our industry and has been instrumental in shaping some of the most influential performance and lifestyle products, labels and platforms,” said Valdes. “With his strong background in industrial design and his deep understanding of both athletes and consumers, he will play an important role in re-engaging our wholesale partners and consumers with Puma.”