Sportswear giant Puma has appointed Lucynda Davies as its new Managing Director for the UK and Ireland, replacing Bas van den Bemt, who will take on the role of Managing Director for Central Europe from 1 July 2024.
Davies brings over twenty years of experience in the sports industry and joins Puma from JD Sports, where she has served as Chief Brand Relationship Officer since April 2023.
Meanwhile, van den Bemt has been with Puma since 2009 in various management and sales positions. He oversaw its Benelux business for more than eight years and most recently worked as the Managing Director of Puma UK and Ireland.
Bas van den Bemt
In his new role, van den Bemt will oversee Puma’s business in the DACH and Benelux regions and will report to Javier Ortega, Managing Director for Europe. He will be based at the brand’s headquarters in Herzogenaurach, Germany.
He replaces Nina Graf-Vlachy, who has recently been appointed to the newly created role of General Manager for Sports at online retailer Zalando, starting this August.
“As the Managing Director of the UK and Ireland and Head of Puma Benelux, Bas has done a great job of finding innovative ways to elevate the brand, working closely with our wholesale partners and connecting with our consumers,” said Ortega.
“I’m also excited to welcome Lucynda, who, given her vast industry experience, is the ideal candidate to lead our UK and Ireland business. At the same time, I would like to thank Nina for her energy, dedication and commitment over the past ten years and I wish her all the best for her future.”