This next news about the sneaker world will definitely come as a surprise to many. Executive Board member Eric Liedtke is leaving adidas AG! He has worked for adidas for 25 years. Towards the end, many have even considered him to be the next CEO of adidas someday and eventually take over from Kasper Rorsted. In terms of his major contributions to the company, he was responsible for the global brands and the strategy cycle. In order to leave his seat open for a worthy successor, Eric Liedtke addressed the Supervisory Board and announced his resignation as a member of the Executive Board effective December 31, 2019. His last working day at adidas AG would be on December 31, 2020.

Kasper Rorsted, CEO of adidas, said this about the resignation: "Eric Liedtke has done a great job positioning adidas as the manufacturer's sports brand. I can only praise his marketing expertise, his unparalleled passion for our brands and his commitment to sustainability. Together with all adidas employees, I would like to thank Eric from the bottom of my heart and wish him all the best for his future efforts.“

Liedtke was brought on board in 1994 as Global Line Manager for Cross-Training. Year after year, his responsibilities increased and he became an instant celebrity. Five years ago, adidas AG appointed him to be part of the Executive Board and became responsible for Global Brands. He was responsible for the unique partnership with Parley to save the oceans. Parley is an organization of creatives, thinkers, and leaders who continually fight for the elimination of plastic waste. Liedtke and Parley started an open source collaboration and had since worked with stars like Kanye West, Beyoncé, and Pharrell Williams.

Eric Liedtke further talked about the pride he felt for being part of the company: "adidas has been my professional home for more than 25 years. Now is the time to pursue new projects. It has always been a great honour for me to serve this fantastic company. I am proud of what we have achieved together as a team and I am grateful to have been able to work with so many incredible people around the world who share the love of our brands. Thanks to everyone, it was a great ride.“

This is hard news, knowing that after 25 years,

Eric Liedtke finally decides to leave adidas AG. Of course, we will keep you up to date in case he's planning to switch brands. If you don't want to miss the next news, you should download our Grailify app. There, you can get all information directly on your smartphone.