UK marketer wins out in Adidas restructure

Adidas has promoted head of communications for the UK Nick Craggs to director of marketing communications of its new northern European division.

The sports brand has brought its UK and Benelux operations together under a single management team to form what is to be called Area North. It will be headed by Adidas UK managing director Gordon Baird and will cover the UK, Ireland, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg.

The decision to combine operations is part of the brand’s Winning in Europe strategy, which is designed to improve brand focus and product selection in each area. The company has already combined operations in its southern and central European markets.

In his new role, Craggs will deal with sports marketing for the first time. He will oversee all Adidas’ sponsorship deals with teams and players. He will also be responsible for trade and retail marketing.

The restructure has resulted in the promotion of UK commercial director Tim Larcombe and UK director of range management Gavin Thompson. The two are to take up similar roles covering the whole of Area North.

Jeroen Kraay has been appointed commercial manager for the Dutch and Belgian markets and Richard Jansen will continue as head of operations at the Benelux office.

Craggs will report to Baird, but will also work closely with global head of communications Ulrich Becker, and head of global brand advertising Nicholas Baddour. Area North will be based at Adidas’ headquarters in Stockport from January 1.