Adidas has named Michelle Robertson as its new Adidas human resources chief and executive board member, effective Jan. 1, 2024. She replaces Amanda Rajkumar, who departed the role in July.
Like Rajkumar, Robertson will represent Adidas’ sole female presence on its executive board, which also consists of CEO Bjorn Gulden; CFO Harm Ohlmeyer; Arthur Hoeld, who oversees global sales; and Martin Shankland, who oversees global operations.
“I am hugely excited about this opportunity,” Robertson said in a statement. “Adidas is already such a great place to work. Together with this incredible team of 60,000 passionate and talented adidas employees I am looking forward to making us even better.”
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Robertson had served as interim head of global human resources, people and culture since July. She previously worked as Adidas’ head of workplaces and global functions.
“Michelle has done an excellent job taking on the interim lead of our Global HR function,” Gulden said in a statement. “She knows the industry, she knows the company and, most importantly, she knows our people. I couldn’t ask for a better partner to make sure that we continue to be a people-driven, diverse and inclusive workplace.”
With her appointment, Robertson takes on a role that has seen some turnover over the last few years. Rajkumar was appointed to the role on Adidas’ board in 2021 after employee complaints over racism at the firm led Karen Parkin, former global head of HR, to exit. Adidas’ diversity and inclusion shortfalls had been thrust into the spotlight, and a racial reckoning unfolded at the company — and across corporate America — following the murder of George Floyd.
With Robertson’s official new role, chairman of Adidas’ supervisory board Thomas Rabe said in a statement that the company is “happy to have the important human resources function back on the board level.”
“With her profound HR expertise, genuine care for people and passion for the brand, Michelle will help us to further strengthen Adidas’ position as one of the best employers globally”, Rabe said.
