Bjørn Gulden is now in his second stint at Adidas, after holding several roles at the brand from 1992 to 1999, including senior vice president of apparel and accessories. The current chief executive officer noted that much has changed since his first go-round.
“At the beginning of the ’90s, Adi was almost bankrupt. We were a bunch of young kids who got positions we definitely were not qualified for, but we had a passion and energy for sports and the brand,” Gulden said.
He added that the team worked day and night, practically living in factories, traveling to retailers. This experience, Gulden said, forced him to learn all aspects of the business and educated him on the value chain.
Today, he said, Adidas has more structure than it did back then, making the experiences incomparable.
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However, the brand’s mission hasn’t wavered. “The core — designing, developing, producing, shipping, selling and marketing product — is exactly the same,” Gulden said. “And the products are the same. As a professional soccer player, I played in the Samba. Now, it’s the most fashionable shoe.”
But Gulden did describe today’s world as more “complicated,” with several ongoing wars, tense political situations and a pandemic not long in the rearview. To succeed amid all these uncertainties requires flexibility and agility. “You cannot go on holiday for three weeks, come back and think the world is the same,” he said. “It is a tense, volatile environment. You need to be on your toes.”
Nevertheless, Gulden is confident Adidas will shine through given its focus on things that bring people together: sports and music.
“It doesn’t matter where you’re from, your religion, if you’re big or small, old or young, we come together and celebrate,” Gulden said. “Sports and music are holding things together, and we are in the middle of it. That’s a great feeling.”
About the Author
Peter Verry is the Senior News and Features Editor for Athletic and Outdoor at Footwear News. He oversees coverage of the two fast-paced and ultracompetitive markets, which includes conducting in-depth interviews with industry leaders and writing stories on sneakers and outdoor shoes. He is a lifelong sneaker addict (and shares his newest purchases via @peterverry on Instagram) and spends most of his free time on a trail. He holds an M.A. in journalism from Hofstra University and can be reached at peter.verry@footwearnews.com.
