Puma has named Steve Cecchini as its new senior vice president of sports marketing as it moves to bolster how it amplifies the storytelling among athletes, teams and federations.
The German sportswear maker announced the move on Wednesday, with Cecchini shifting from Nike where he last worked as the general manager of international soccer clubs, leagues and partnerships.
Cecchini will join the brand on October 1 and will report directly to CEO Arthur Hoeld.
“The partnerships with our athletes, teams and federations are crucial to who we are as a brand,” Hoeld said. “I strongly believe that Steve is the right person to proactively and strategically lead our team and manage Puma’s Sports Marketing portfolio. He will drive our ambition to create high visibility for Puma and its performance products and clearly position us as a top three global sports brand.”
In his new role, Cecchini will be tapped to further develop the company’s sports marketing division and build the partnerships that pull the brand’s identity in line with a larger plan to “amplify its position as a leading global sports brand.”
“Puma has an amazing legacy in supporting the world’s best athletes, so for me, taking on this new role and writing the next chapter is a fantastic opportunity,” Cecchini said. “We want to make the right strategic investments that perfectly match the brand and serve our athletes, clubs and federations around the world as the best partner in the industry.”
The company’s sports marketing division is deeply embedded in Puma’s push to recruit and manage athletes who can represent the brand and ulitmately build long term relationships. At the club, league and national federation level, the company has been a major player at various stages in soccer for nearly 80 years. Cecchini’s team will continue to forge pacts with the tastemakers, energing talents and legacy brands in the sport.
Meanwhile, the sports marketing crew is directly involved with product integration on footwear, apparel, signature products, and player-specific collections.
