Sportswear behemoth Puma has appointed Tara McRae as the new president of its North American division. Puma considers the region a “strategically important market,” and McRae, who will take over the role immediately, most recently oversaw the brand’s marketing and brand strategy there.
After leaving the company in 2016 following a ten-year tenure, she returned to Puma in 2024 to assume the position of senior vice president, brand and strategy. Before leaving Puma, McRae was the first chief marketing officer of Tom Brady’s health brand, TB12, and she also held the positions of global chief marketing officer and digital officer at Clarks.
McRae takes over from Bob Philion, who is leaving the company after 20 years, eight of which were spent as Puma North America president. In a statement, Matthias Baumer, Puma’s chief commercial officer, expressed gratitude to Philion and said that he held the position when the company had “put Puma back on the map in North America.”
Regarding McRae’s appointment, Baumer said: “With Tara, we have appointed a leader with a great understanding of our consumers, our industry and the North American market. I strongly believe she has the experience and the strategic mindset to help us succeed in this crucial market.”
Meet Tara McRae
Tara McRae is a seasoned marketing executive with over 20 years of expertise in e-commerce, business strategy, brand management, and marketing in the sports and leisure sectors. She graduated from Clark University with a Master of Professional Communication and the University of Massachusetts Amherst with a Bachelor of Communication and Media Studies.
The basis for McRae’s proficiency in consumer electronics marketing was established during her early years at Bose Corporation, where she worked in marketing and media planning. After joining Puma in 2006, she worked in multiple roles in brand management, strategic planning, and sports and US marketing teams. She became the senior vice president of brand and marketing during her ten years there, managing important projects like the introduction of Puma Golf and collaborations with well-known people like Fenty and Meek Mill.
McRae joined Clarks as the global chief marketing and digital officer in 2016. There, she revitalised the brand with celebrity-endorsed global campaigns and partnerships with entertainment and fashion brands such as Supreme, Kith, Tibi, Patta, and Wu-Tang. Her work increased Clarks’ customer base and improved its cultural significance.
She was chief marketing officer at TB12, Tom Brady’s co-founded health and wellness company, from January 2020 to January 2021. She played a key role in developing the brand’s marketing plans, product lines, and service offerings to establish TB12 as a reliable source for information on global health and wellness.
McRae rejoined Puma in August 2024 as senior vice president of North American marketing and brand strategy. In this role, she develops consumer-centric marketing strategies for all platforms, focusing on basketball and entertainment marketing, with the goal to boost brand equity and drive profitable growth. She is well-positioned to spearhead Puma’s marketing campaigns in the North American market thanks to her in-depth knowledge of the company’s culture and values.
Puma Hits The Rejig Button
The German apparel brand has become the official ball supplier of the English Premier League (the most-watched football league globally), which includes the provision of match balls at all League matches from the start of the 2025/26 season.
Through this partnership, Puma will also support the Premier League across multiple initiatives, from community-based football programmes that nurture grassroots talent to high-impact marketing campaigns and events such as the Premier League Summer Series, which will be hosted in the United States in July 2025.
“The Premier League, broadcast to 900 million homes in 189 countries, offers an unparalleled platform for visibility and international growth. With the competition’s vast global reach and Puma’s commitment to performance and innovation, this collaboration is poised to drive both brand awareness and engagement, delivering premium experiences for fans, athletes, and communities alike,” Puma stated.
Puma already holds a significant presence in the Premier League through its official partnership with Manchester City, the league’s current champions. In addition, several top Premier League players, including Jack Grealish (Manchester City), Kai Havertz (Arsenal), James Maddison (Tottenham Hotspur), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), Jordan Pickford (Everton), and Marc Cucurella (Chelsea), are part of Puma’s growing roster of elite athletes.
As Tara takes over as the new president of Puma’s North American division, former Adidas sales chief Arthur Hoeld will take over as the venture’s CEO, replacing Arne Freundt due to what the company called “differing views on strategy execution.”
Puma has struggled to boost sales and profitability for more than a year. The company’s pick for the top job marks the latest talent swap between the competing brands, two years after its CEO Bjorn Gulden jumped ship to lead Adidas through a successful turnaround.
While Adidas has been witnessing strong sales growth, things have been dire straits at Puma, as the latter in March warned its 2025 sales would likely be weaker than 2024, flagging uncertainty denting its consumer spending in the United States, which accounts for between 20 to 25 per cent of its global sales. To make matters worse, the Donald Trump administration’s tariffs on China, Vietnam, Indonesia, and other key manufacturing hubs are expected to hit sportswear retailers.
In 2024, Puma sourced 28% of its products from China, making it the largest sourcing country for the brand. Vietnam was the second-largest source at 26%, followed by Cambodia at 16%. Following the announcement of new tariffs, the German apparel brand’s share price plummeted. As of 2025, the company’s stock has reached levels close to its lowest in nine years.
Image Credits: Puma