Tara McRae has been named president of Puma North America by the sportswear company. In this position, she will be in charge of the company’s regional strategy.
McRae takes over for Bob Philion, who will depart the German sportswear brand after 20 years of service and eight years as Puma North America president, effective immediately. According to the firm, he leaves to pursue options outside of Puma.
Prior to taking on marketing duties for the region, McRae gained experience in the media strategy and sports marketing divisions of Puma North America, where she worked from 2006 to 2016.
Puma’s chief commercial officer Matthias Bäumer said Tara brings strong insight into their consumers, the industry, and the North American market, making her a valuable leadership choice.
The hiring was made less than a week after Puma abruptly fired CEO Arne Freundt and replaced him with Arthur Hoeld, a former employee of rival German company Adidas.
