Puma Will Appoint New European Leadership in October
The athletic brand has named new regional directors to oversee its European operations starting October 1, 2026.
Updated on Sept. 21, 2026 in People
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Puma announced the appointment of Fokko de Rooij as managing director of Europe and Daniel Pustina as managing director of Cluster Central. Both leadership changes will officially take effect on October 1, 2026.
Why it matters
These appointments follow the departure of two former executives, Javier Ortega and Bas van den Bemt, who left the company in September 2026. The new team will manage critical regional clusters as the brand realigns its corporate structure.
Fokko de Rooij brings nearly 20 years of experience from his tenure at Nike, while Daniel Pustina has been with Puma since 2020. Their combined background aims to guide the brand through its European market strategy.
The players
Fokko de Rooij
He is the incoming managing director of Europe for Puma who previously spent nearly two decades at Nike.
Daniel Pustina
He is the incoming managing director of Cluster Central who has been a member of the Puma organization since 2020.
Arthur Hoeld
He serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Puma and will oversee the incoming managing director of Europe.
Javier Ortega
He is a former executive who departed the company in September 2026.
Bas van den Bemt
He is a former executive who departed the company in September 2026.
The details
Fokko de Rooij will report directly to CEO Arthur Hoeld, while Daniel Pustina will report to de Rooij. Pustina is tasked with overseeing the DACH, Benelux, Eastern Europe, and Ukraine regions, joining established cluster leads Christophe Cance and Lucynda Davies.
Timeline
Daniel Pustina joined the company in 2020.
Fokko de Rooij began working as an independent advisor in 2025.
Javier Ortega and Bas van den Bemt left the company in September 2026.
The new leadership appointments become effective on October 1, 2026.
Market Landscape
This reorganization follows a documented trend of European retail firms centralizing regional management to respond to shifting market conditions. By integrating leadership across diverse clusters, Puma seeks to streamline decision-making against its primary global competitors.
These administrative changes are unlikely to impact immediate product pricing or retail availability for the average consumer. Shoppers should see standard operations continue as the new leadership team settles into their respective regional mandates.
The takeaway
The brand is shifting its regional strategy by promoting internal talent alongside experienced external hires. This move reflects a broader corporate priority to ensure localized expertise across complex European markets.
Further reading
For more on industry talent moves, visit our People section.
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