Puma Taps HR Veteran Thomas John as New People and Organization VP

Puma, the renowned sports company, has announced the appointment of Thomas John as its new Vice President, People & Organization. The 59-year-old executive will officially commence his role on October 16, 2025, taking charge of Puma’s human resources strategy and organizational development. In this key position, John will report directly to CEO Arthur Hoeld, underscoring the strategic importance of his new responsibilities.

Thomas John brings an impressive career spanning nearly three decades in human resources. Throughout his extensive experience, he has held significant leadership positions across a diverse range of industries, including sports, aviation, automotive, and energy, accumulating a broad and deep understanding of varying organizational dynamics and talent requirements.

Most recently, John served as the Senior Vice President, Global Human Resources, at Landis+Gyr, a leading global provider of energy management and smart metering solutions. In this role, he was instrumental in guiding the company’s transformation initiatives and spearheading its HR strategy across more than 30 countries, demonstrating his capability in managing complex global HR landscapes.

Prior to his tenure at Landis+Gyr, John held prominent HR leadership roles at several well-known organizations, including KLM, Adidas, and Mann+Hummel. Throughout his distinguished career, a consistent focus has been on strategically aligning human resources initiatives with overarching business objectives. His expertise encompasses critical areas such as leadership development, organizational effectiveness, comprehensive talent management, and driving successful change and transformation programs, all while cultivating an inclusive and high-performance work environment.

Puma CEO Arthur Hoeld expressed his enthusiasm regarding the appointment, stating, “Thomas has a wealth of experience in HR strategy, organizational development and leadership, and is well acquainted with the challenges and opportunities of our industry.” Hoeld further emphasized his confidence, adding, “I am confident that his deep expertise in both organizational change and global HR management will help us raise Puma’s operational performance to the next level,” highlighting the strategic impact John is expected to bring to the company.

Thomas John steps into this role as the successor to Dietmar Knoess, who has made the decision to explore new opportunities outside of Puma.