The adidas SA Running BU has a new senior manager (Pieter Warnich) and brand activation and sports marketing manager (Amanda Standley), both of whom are experienced in their respective fields.

Warnich takes over from Kate Woods, who was promoted to head the brand’s Running BU for all Emerging Markets in Dubai, and will manage the running team, ensuring that their short to midterm strategy is defined and implemented, and that their objectives are met. “This includes concept to customer, range management, brand activation and communication and sports marketing,” explains Warnich.

Warnich is no rookie to the industry with 12 years of experience under his belt and also no stranger to adidas SA as he previously held the position of buy planning and purchasing manager for the company.

He started his career in sports retail in 2005 at Holdsport, where he worked for seven years. During this time he was involved in the planning and buying of apparel and footwear, for both Sportsmans Warehouse and Outdoor Warehouse. Before joining adidas SA, he was the planning manager for Massdiscounters, part of the Massmart group.

Standley also has 12 years of experience under her belt, and brings her own wealth of marketing experience to the team.

She has a post-graduate marketing degree from the Red and Yellow School of Advertising and Marketing, and among her career highlights she lists the period when she represented the IRB as their sponsorship rights agency on the HSBC Sevens World Series, whilst working at Essentially Group. She has also been the event manager of the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens, “which was a huge undertaking with 100 000 people across three days!” she says. “After a few years working in marketing I’ve returned to South Africa and started in this fantastic role at adidas.”