Eric Liedtke

As Executive Board Member, Global Brands, Eric leads all adidas and Reebok Business Units, sub-brands as well as key Brand functions including Design, Innovation, Brand Management and Digital Brand Commerce. Since joining the Executive Board in 2014, Eric has reset the adidas brand by unleashing a culture of collaboration and creativity by inviting employees, athletes and consumers to create the future of sport together. Under his leadership, adidas has out-paced its competition posting double-digit growth for 3 years running. A former competitive swimmer, and Oceans Advocate, Eric has merged his passion for the water with his open-source approach to business, catalyzing a company-wide commitment to sustainability. To fight marine pollution, he initiated a partnership with Parley for the Oceans, committing to create one million pairs of shoes made from Parley Ocean Plastic™, upcycled waste, intercepted before it reaches the ocean from beaches and coastal communities and is driving the ambitious goal of eliminating virgin polyester from adidas products and ultimately the entire supply chain. He has shared his vision and practical experiences with up-cycling plastics as both a cause for good and driver for business growth at the United Nations, COP21, with the aim to onboard other brands and businesses in to the mission to save the oceans. During his 20-year career with adidas, Eric has been at the forefront of innovation and consistently striving for progress. He is a serial intra-preneur – bridging fast-paced, technology driven innovation with the legacy of the world’s greatest sports brand. He founded the adidas Digital Sports program, scaled adidas digital marketing through the adoption and acceleration of new platforms, launched the industry-changing BOOST foam. Most recently, Eric has led the introduction of adidas Futurecraft 4D, the world’s first running shoe featuring the revolutionary additive manufacturing technology – Digital Light Synthesis. Eric sits on the Parley for the Oceans Steering Committee and is on the Board of Directors of Carbon, a Silicon Valley-based digital 3D Manufacturing company. Eric’s greatest passion is his two daughters who he spends time with at home in Germany and surfing on the Oregon Coast.