PUMA Appoints Dusan Hamlin to Lead Its Global E-Commerce Growth Strategy

PUMA is making a clear bet on digital growth. The hiring of Dusan Hamlin puts a proven e-commerce leader at the centre of that push. His appointment formalises how serious the brand is about scaling its online business. Moreover, it shows PUMA’s intent to separate its online business from traditional retail.

A digital veteran joins PUMA

Dusan Hamlin brings more than 25 years of experience in the industry. He has a track record of leading digital and e-commerce transformations at both Reebok and adidas. In recent years, he has co-founded and managed several companies, including global performance marketing firm M&C Saatchi Performance. He also managed digital innovation and design consultancy This Place. Furthermore, he has held a long-term board position at Tokyo-listed software company Asteria Corporation. This gives him exposure to the tech side of digital platforms as well as the brand side.

That blend—big-brand experience, entrepreneurial ventures, and board-level tech oversight—makes him a strong fit. This is especially true for a role that sits at the intersection of commerce, marketing, and product experience. PUMA is not just hiring an operator. Instead, it is bringing in someone who has built and scaled digital businesses from multiple angles.

New role, new structure

At PUMA, Dusan steps into the newly created position of Vice President E-Commerce. In this role, he will drive the global strategy and commercial direction of the company’s digital and e-commerce businesses. He reports directly to PUMA’s Chief Commercial Officer, Matthias Bäumer. This signals that online channels are now treated as a core commercial pillar, rather than a support function.

This move follows PUMA’s late 2025 decision to split its direct-to-consumer operation into two dedicated areas: Global Retail and Global E-Commerce. By separating these functions, PUMA can tailor strategies, teams, and KPIs to the realities of physical stores versus digital channels. Dusan’s mandate is to own the digital side. He is also tasked to turn it into a high-performing, scalable business.

Why PUMA is elevating e-commerce

In the official announcement, Matthias Bäumer calls Dusan a “proven digital transformation expert.” He also underlines how important digital channels have become to PUMA’s business in recent years. The company’s websites, apps, and marketplace presence now sit at the front line of consumer engagement and revenue. This is especially relevant with younger shoppers, who start and finish their purchase journey online.

By creating a dedicated leadership role, PUMA can sharpen its digital strategy, accelerate experimentation, and improve consumer experience end-to-end. This includes everything from site UX and mobile app journeys to how PUMA appears on third-party marketplaces. In addition, it includes how PUMA shows up on social platforms.

Dusan’s vision for the next phase

Dusan himself frames the moment as a “massive opportunity” for PUMA. He points out that the brand has already made significant progress on platform capabilities. This means improvements in infrastructure, tools, and core systems. The next step, according to him, is to put in place a world-class operating model and an extended digital team. In other words, the foundations are there. Now it is about execution, governance, and scale.

He also calls out emerging technologies as a key focus. Specifically, this includes social commerce and AI-driven commerce at scale. Social commerce will help PUMA meet consumers where they already spend their time. These are platforms where content, community, and shopping blend together. Meanwhile, AI-driven commerce can power smarter search, personalised recommendations, dynamic pricing, and more efficient merchandising. Together, these tools can help PUMA serve customers in more relevant, real-time ways.

What this means for the industry

For the wider sportswear market, PUMA’s move reflects a clear trend. Major brands are no longer treating e-commerce as simply another “channel.” By elevating digital to its own global business unit, led by a veteran like Dusan Hamlin, PUMA signals that online revenue, data, and consumer experience are central to its growth story.

For players, fans, and collectors watching the industry, this appointment suggests something important. PUMA’s next wave of innovation will be as much about how you shop and interact with the brand as it is about the footwear and apparel themselves. Dusan’s arrival sets the stage for a more connected, tech-forward PUMA. It will be one where digital experiences and product drops are tightly integrated and tuned to the needs of a global, always-on consumer.